Chennai to Kolkata. Kolkata to Dimapur. Each flight was two hours. The first was a big plane. The second one was a 20-seater bumpy ride to the North-East of India.

Every time I told someone that I was going to sing in Kohima, people looked at me with a huge surprise. Where is it? Is it in Japan? Are you going to sing Carnatic music? were some of the comments. All this along with the fact that I and my musicians Embar Kannan and Poongulum Subramanian were equally thrilled about the whole concert, made us actually wait eagerly for Kohima to happen.

The event was Spic Macay's annual convention, held at this exotic destination for its volunteers and supporters. There were 1,300 students. The week-long convention, which also featured workshops on various arts, culminated in an all-night concert, which included my concert, too.

From Dimapur, which is the only flat district of Nagaland's seven districts, we started our journey up into the mountains. Hills, gorges, waterfalls, a winding river to escort us, rain mist - all in one good winding stomach-churning ride up the hills. Nature in its bounty! Music, the purpose of the journey.

Kohima looks like a picture postcard, which one may never expect to see in real life. Birds and the sound of crickets during the day in the thick foliage. Pretty houses and small lanes - the abode of the Nagas, who speak Nagamese. It is almost like an alien land. Almost all speak English other than their mother tongue.

The concerts began at 8 p.m. in a lovely tent constructed specially for the event. Students were everywhere, running around, arranging and co-ordinating. Our turn came at 1 a.m. and I sang until 3 a.m. And yes, everybody was soaking in the music that was featured all through the night from 8 pm to dawn at 6 am.

I thank God that music took me there!