KOHIMA — A new
café, ‘Garrison Hill Centre and Café,’ has opened in Kohima, offering visitors
a unique educational experience about the 1944 Battle of Kohima while while
sipping their favourite brew.
Located opposite the War Cemetery, the café aims to educate
visitors about the pivotal battle between British and Japanese armies, which
also impacted the Naga community.
Interior view of ‘Garrison Hill Centre and Café’ with
artefacts on display in the backdrop.
Vilemeno Yhoshu Mezhur, founder of the café shared that the
café is a space “established to honour and preserve the memory of a pivotal
chapter in history — the battle of Kohima, which took place between the British
and Japanese armies during World War II, as it holds profound significance due
to the sacrifice made by soldiers from both forces as well as the local Naga
community.”
She expressed that while the war cemetery attracts many
visitors daily, unfortunately, there isn't much information, and so the
visitors may fail to grasp the intensity of the war and the sufferings the
people faced.
Moreover, as the stories of the war fade from memory over
time, her café aims to provide a space for visitors to learn and appreciate
this significant chapter in history.
She opined that despite its monumental significance, the
battle of Kohima remains relatively obscure in comparison to other renowned
battles in World War II. “Its impact on both the British and Japanese empires
as well as on the local Naga populace is also largely untold. The Garrison Hill
Centre therefore aims to rectify this gap in historical understanding”, she
maintained.
She disclosed that the café's location was formerly known as
Garrison Hill (now Raj Bhavan), which inspired the name 'Garrison Hill Centre
and Café.' The centre aims to serve as a testament to the courage, resilience,
and sacrifices of the soldiers who stood their ground in the face of adversity.
The café has also released their own coffee table book
titled “Battle of Kohima 1944: The forgotten war,” and the book contains lots
of photographs from during the war time, which they informed have been used
with permission from the Imperial War Museum for educational purpose.
Why the café?
Vilemeno
Yhoshu Mezhur
Mezhur confided that when they initially thought about doing
something related to the Battle of Kohima, they explored ideas like a museum,
but ultimately decided to create a relaxed learning space where people could
unwind while learning about the battle.
The café features an art representation of the 1944 Battle
of Kohima's pivotal Tennis Court battle, illustrated by Tia Aier, alongside
exhibits including soldier helmets, vintage fuel jerry cans, ammunition boxes,
and wartime artefacts.
She admitted that she took help from friends, well-wishers
and professionals to create the ambiance of the café, and she wanted to find
the balance between “serious” and ‘happy place’.
Mezhur noted that while they initially aimed to collect and
display more wartime artefacts, sourcing authentic pieces proved challenging,
and they managed to acquire only three. She hopes to find more artefacts and
collaborate with individuals willing to display their items on a contract basis
in the future.
She invited people to visit the café and encouraged those
with artefacts to consider displaying them, promising due credit and
compensation, to further enrich the learning experience.
Additionally, she emphasised that, given the battle's
sensitive nature, they aimed to approach the story with care, avoiding
glorification of war and violence, and instead creating a space for learning
and reflection about the Battle of Kohima.
A look at the café's menu
The café offers a range of hot and cold beverages, baked
goods, and light bites, focusing on finger snacks rather than heavy meals,
typical of a café setting.
The cafe’s savoury cookies and snacks
Mezhur said that that they've partnered with three local
bakers, rotating baked goods on display daily, with some regulars and others
changing frequently. They're still experimenting with the menu, making it
flexible and adaptive to customer preferences.
While developing the menu, she revealed that they conducted
extensive trials over several weeks to curate the best offerings, prioritising
quality products and ingredients.
The cafe employs four youths- one barista and three
multitaskers.
