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KOHIMA: Food habits in one corner of the world would never cease to surprise people from other parts. Puppies may be a delicacy in South Korea, tortoise the best soup ingredient for the Chinese and cockroaches dipped in chocolate a favourite dish of some in Europe. But Nagas have a different taste bud. Their menu is incomplete without a snail curry or some frog meat. Visit a Naga market and you will definitely find frogs, snails and bee products. "Sale of snails is very good here", said Rukhisu, a vendor. Bee hives also sell like hot cakes though these can be pretty expensive, the price ranging from Rs 100 to over Rs 1000 depending on the quality and size. "Rates are very different. For big ones prices are very high whereas the smaller ones are cheaper. It is very difficult to get them and at the same time it is difficult to rear also. That is the reason why they are so costly," according to Zeno Solo, another vendor. The health aspect determines many of dietary habits in Nagaland. Bee is supposed to be extremely good for health, a fact enforced by many Japanese people who are also lovers of this item. "The sale of these things is very high as they are very good for sick people, especially people suffering from blood pressure problems", added Zeno Solo. Other
sought-after delicacies include silkworm which is reared by many people.While
snails and bees are sourced from the jungles in Nagaland, the frog which
is another delicacy is brought from Dimapur, the commercial capital
of the State. If someone buys five frogs for Rs 50, that is said to
be a fair deal. Many believe that frog has the capacity to nourish people
recuperating from long illness. The Nagas are great lovers of meat,
but the State Government has banned the sale of other wild animals to
preserve the ecological balance and save many endangered species.
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