When 29-year-old Asakho Chase started building his holiday home in the wilderness of Nagaland, little did he know that it would create such a frenzy amongst travellers! The Hobbit Home, as Chase likes to call it—because of its resemblance to the homes of Hobbits in JRR Tolkien’s books—is located a few kilometres away from the quaint village of Khonoma, near the Indo-Myanmar border. Here are some excerpts from an interview with the man himself. By Kasturi DasWhat made you build the Hobbit Home?
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I was home for almost seven months last year during the lockdown. The idea struck me one night as I sat browsing my phone. I have a piece of land a little away from Khonoma. I thought, ‘why not build a little place for myself where I can spend my holidays?’ It was a spontaneous decision.
People usually ask me if I’m a fan of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. Yes, I did enjoy watching the movies, but that wasn’t the idea when I started building this house. Coincidentally, the house ended up looking like a hobbit hole!
Tell us more about the Hobbit Home.
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The Hobbit Home is basic. The room can accommodate around five to seven people at a time. There’s a small kitchen, where guests can cook. There’s also a western-style toilet. There’s water and electricity. This house is meant for people who seek adventure; it’s not for luxury vacationers.
The wood I used to build the house was sourced from Alder trees. These trees will grow back in five to six years, so it is sustainable. I didn’t want to cut too many trees, so I made a simple house. I also used leftover wood that I collected from a mill.
My friends helped me construct this house! In our village, everyone is willing to extend their support when someone needs it. A primary health centre is just a five-minute walk away from the Hobbit Home.
Another special thing about the Hobbit Home is that guests can pick fresh, organic vegetables right from the Hobbit garden for their meals.
You’ve already started receiving bookings for your new place. How does that feel?
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After I posted photos and videos of the house [online], while it was still under construction, I started receiving queries from people who were interested in staying in the Hobbit Home. It was unexpected. There’ve been over 50 bookings so far. Most of these are from people in Nagaland and other northeastern states, too. So, it looks like I’ll have to upgrade my simple Hobbit Home from being a personal leisure house to something that’ll appeal to other travellers, too!
Khonoma is known for eco-tourism and wildlife conservation. Can you tell us a bit more about your village?
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Khonoma is an Angami Naga village. It is said to be around 600-years-old, and is known as Asia’s ‘first green village’. It is located about 20 kilometres from Kohima. For centuries, hunting was considered a sacred and cultural practice here. It was a way of life. But hunting is now prohibited, and over the years, the village has come to be known for the conservation of wildlife. It’s also famous for its innovative agricultural techniques and crops.
During the previous lockdown, I explored my village. It is surrounded by dense woods and has a rich variety of flora and fauna. There’s so much untapped beauty—hills, waterfalls, caves.
The village is still closed for visitors. But, when travel resumes, I hope people visit Nagaland and my Hobbit Home.
Related: Things To Keep In Mind Before Planning A Trip To Nagaland
