Asem Bhakta Singh, Special Correspondent North East
Imphal: In a bid to promote battlefield tourism in the region, the Jessami Village Council (JVC) in Manipur’s Ukhrul district is set to host tourists from the United Kingdom on Saturday.
Home to the Chakeshang tribe, the picturesque Jessami village is located in the extreme north of Ukhrul district in Manipur and situated approximately 116 km north of Ukhrul town and 121 km east of Kohima in Nagaland bordering Myanmar.
Dr. Weyepe N Mekrisuh, a resident of Jessami, disclosed that the village will welcome approximately 17 British nationals for a two-day visit to explore significant historical sites, including the Jessami War Memorial and remnants of the Jessami Battle site.
The visitors will also have the opportunity to witness artifacts from the war era and learn about the village’s role during World War II, particularly during the Battle of Jessami fought between the 1st Assam Regiment of the Allied Forces and the 31st Division of Japanese soldiers.
The upcoming visit precedes the ’39 Hours-Walking in my Grandfather’s Footsteps’ mission scheduled from April 1-4, 2024, where over 20 British nationals will retrace the steps of their forebears who participated in the historic battle.
Charlotte Carty, granddaughter of Lt Col William Felix (‘Bruno’) Brown, the Commanding Officer of the First Assam Regiment during the Battle of Kohima, will spearhead this initiative to honor her grandfather and commemorate the sacrifices of the fallen heroes.
“I became particularly interested in the withdrawal back to Kohima of the Assam Regiment from the village of Jessami, where fierce preliminary contact had been made with the invading Japanese. This withdrawal, on foot, was over a distance of some 29 miles as the crow flies, and some 60 miles along the paths and tracks, across sub-Himalayan terrain, in frequent contact with the Japanese. The Regiment achieved this in 39 hours, with some 260 men making it through to bolster the thin defences at Kohima. They started at midnight on 1st April and arrived at Kohima 39 hours later at 3pm on 3rd April 1944,” wrote Charlotte Carte on KET website.
“As part of the 80th anniversary of the battle in 2024, I am seeking to recreate this walk to highlight the achievements of all of the forces who fought at Kohima, and to remember the local Naga people who were so vital in the campaign and in particular the fighting withdrawal of the Assam Regiment back to Jessami,” he added.
The meticulously planned itinerary for the tourists includes visits to historical landmarks, such as the Jessami War Memorial and the Battle site, along with experiencing the traditional lifestyle of the locals and exploring the Thetsii Valley’s sprawling paddy fields.
Jessami village has been actively promoting various forms of tourism, including eco-tourism, wildlife tourism, cultural tourism, agro-tourism, and battlefield tourism, for economic sustainability. Since September 2022, over 120 tourists, including birders, botanists, battlefield enthusiasts, and cultural tourists, have visited the village.
In a recent development, the village inaugurated a community reserve aimed at conserving the habitat of Mrs Hume’s Pheasant, also known as Nongin, the state bird, reflecting the community’s commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable tourism practices.##.
