DIMAPUR, India -- The mysterious state of Nagaland, which borders Myanmar in India's mountainous northeast, retains a unique way of life built on a daunting history of headhunting and animism. But it is also transforming fast as economic and social changes spread from India's more developed regions.
To see this process of change firsthand I flew to Dimapur, Nagaland's largest city, which boasts a population of just 120,000 and an airport whose facilities can best be described as rudimentary. It became clear at once that traveling in Nagaland requires guides and local knowledge. Even the relatively short road trip to Kohima, the capital, required a detour to avoid potential landslides following torrential rain.
