Haflong

Haflong is the headquarters town of Assam’s hill district Dima Hasao (earlier called North Cachar Hills) and is widely known as the only hill station in Assam. The name “Haflong” is linked to the Dimasa language and is commonly explained as referring to an “ant hill.”

In the colonial period, the area was administered from the plains as part of Cachar, and over time the hill tract was reorganised for easier governance. A key shift came in 1895, when the administrative headquarters for this hill subdivision was moved to Haflong, helping the town grow as an official centre.

After Independence, the hill areas were reorganised again: the larger United Mikir and North Cachar Hills District was created in 1951, and later, in 1970, North Cachar Hills District became a separate administrative district. In 2010, it was renamed Dima Hasao (often explained as “Dimasa Hills”), while the autonomous council still carries the older “NC Hills” name.

Haflong also gained importance through connectivity—especially the scenic Lumding–Badarpur hill railway section, which helped link the hills with the Barak Valley and the rest of Assam.