Unveiling the Legendary Journey: The Lost WWII Japanese Sword Tied to Naga Heritage | MorungExpress
Stolen Sword of Kohima: A WWII Relic’s Disappearance and Legacy
Morung Express NewsDimapur | August 25
In a mesmerizing account from 1946, Mene Kevichusa spoke of when her father, the late A Kevichusa, and her elder sister found an astonishing artifact during an evening walk in Kohima. “While strolling along Mission Compound Road, my father and sister stumbled upon a Japanese sword hidden in the nallah between the bushes,” Mene recounted in an interview at her family home in Burma Camp, Dimapur.
Just two years earlier, Kohima had witnessed fierce combat between British and Japanese forces in the spring of 1944. The Japanese Imperial Army’s campaign to invade British India through Burma had culminated in intensive battles at Kohima, leading to the Japanese retreat amidst heavy casualties due to supply shortages.
Now 85, Mene remains one of the last surviving children of Kevichusa Nisier Meru MBE, the first graduate and IAS officer among the Nagas. Married to veteran journalist Harish Chandola until his passing in 2023, she reminisced about the sword’s ornate design—featuring a diamond-patterned handle possibly adorned with gold—and its significance, as the family meticulously cleaned it regularly.
The sword was proudly displayed atop their fireplace, amidst many such battlefield relics collected by families in Kohima post-war. The Kohima World War II Museum alone houses around 432 such artifacts.
Tragically, the family’s cherished possessions vanished in December 1956 during the Indo-Naga armed conflict when Indian armed forces requisitioned their home without permission while they vacationed in Goalpara. Requisitioning personnel, reportedly from the 9th Punjab Regiment, left the family’s WWII artifacts, including the sword, unaccounted for.
Mene lamented the loss, revealing her unsuccessful attempts to trace the regiment through Indian intelligence. She speculated the sword’s ornate craftsmanship suggested it belonged to an aristocratic family and expressed a deep desire to return it to its rightful owners if ever found. Reflecting on its value, she stated, “It’s not about the money but the sense of value it represents.”
Original Story https://www.morungexpress.com/the-fate-of-a-wwii-japanese-sword-once-held-by-a-naga-family
Category : Morung Exclusive , Nagaland
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