Husband turns wife's grave into tourist hotspot

AP Every morning, 90-year-old Mosenyii Yakhro tends to the flowers and plants growing around his wife's grave in Kigwema village , Nagaland. He has spent the past decade developing the hillside burial spot into a garden in her memory. Today, the place, known as Mosen Viewpoint , attracts tourists and children from the village. His wife, Vivolheri , was 80 when she died around 10 years ago. She had chosen the spot where she wanted to be buried even before her death. Since then, Yakhro has made caring for the garden around her grave part of his daily routine, according to an Associated Press (AP) report. AP Mosenyii Yakhro, 90, waves at the entrance of the garden he started in memory of his wife in Kigwema village, in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur) How a wife's chosen burial spot became a garden For Yakhro, the garden is a way of continuing to honour his wife. He remembers Vivolheri as a "good woman and a good wife" and recalls how much their grandchildren loved her. Over the years, the place has also started attracting people beyond the family. Tourists visit the hillside garden, while children from the village spend time there. The spot overlooks Nagaland's hills and terraced rice fields, offering visitors a view of the surrounding landscape. Live Events Cosmos flowers are among the plants growing in the garden. A weathervane indicating directions to neighbouring villages is another feature of the viewpoint. Despite the growing number of visitors, Yakhro remains closely involved in maintaining the space. He pays attention to the plants and has expressed concern about the cosmos flowers growing too tall and covering other varieties. Talking about the visitors, he told AP, "I feel very happy. I enjoy knowing their happiness." 90-year-old's interest in books and World War II history Yakhro's interests extend beyond gardening. Although he studied only until the sixth grade, he continued reading and learning throughout his life. Decades ago, while working as a peon, or office assistant, in a government office, he spent considerable time in a library. He recalled that he would read whatever caught his interest. "What I liked I read up in the library," he told AP. At 90, he also remembers events from World War II, including the arrival of Japanese soldiers in his village. The conflict is referred to as the Japanese war in the region. He can recall details and dates from that period. Family gathers at Mosen Viewpoint every year The garden has also become a place where Yakhro's family comes together. Every year on January 15, family members gather at Mosen Viewpoint to celebrate his birthday. When asked about his own final resting place, Yakhro smiled and said, "My burial place will also be here." The hillside garden that began around Vivolheri's grave now serves as a gathering place for the family and a destination for visitors and village children. Yakhro continues to spend his mornings looking after the flowers and plants surrounding the spot his wife had chosen as her final resting place. Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel ) Read More News on Mosenyii Yakhro Mosen Viewpoint wife’s grave garden Nagaland tourist attraction Kigwema village Vivolheri elderly husband tribute hillside flower garden unusual places in Nagaland (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel ) Read More News on Mosenyii Yakhro Mosen Viewpoint wife’s grave garden Nagaland tourist attraction Kigwema village Vivolheri elderly husband tribute hillside flower garden unusual places in Nagaland Prime Exclusives Investment Ideas Stock Report Plus ePaper Wealth Edition How India’s INR22.5 lakh crore gold loan boom is hiding a big hole Business of Odd Things: The farm that needs no land, freshwater, or fertiliser KYC and KYB: Inside Pidilite, the company that turned Fevicol into a word for a strong bond – Part 1 of 3 Seoul halts trading, Nifty has its best week since 2021: Money leaving the AI trade – will it land in India? Junk bonds are cracking at the bottom. Will the noise get loud enough to make ‘junk bond’ a household term again? PNG connections rise half a million, but how many use piped gas for cooking? 1 2 3 View all Stories