North Cachar

The North Cachar Hills District is a region in Assam India.

Regions

The northern area of the hills are less rugged, with rice cultivation in the many river valleys. The southern area is more scenic.

Cities

Haflong , the district center, is in the southern part of the hills. Spilling down from a hilltop, it provides wonderful views of the nearby Borail Mountains. There is also a district museum with some interesting exhibits. The market provides many agricutural products brought in from the countryside, and should certainly be visited. Near the market is a shop selling hand-woven fabrics which is wonderful for picking up inexpensive and lovely souvenirs. Maibang is an ancient capital of the Dimasa people. The Stone House near the river is the only intact relic of the kingdom there, though other artifacts have been discovered during construction and are on display. Langting is a commercial center. There is an evening market that is busy and fascinating.

Other destinations

Jatinga, near Haflong, is famous for the "bird mystery." Under certain climate conditions, huge numbers of migrating birds run up against the nearby mountain range and come to rest near the village.

Culture and History

Because of its isolation and lack of amenities, a trip to the district, while rewarding, is somewhat adventurous. That said, the Hills are a place of breath-taking beauty. The Dimasa people have a long history in the hills, which were the heartland of their ancient kingdom. The region also has villages of Zemi Naga, Hrangkhol, Hmar, Kuki, and Biate tribal people. Each group has unique traditions and a proud culture. While the isolation of the region has helped preserve these traditions, it also means a lack of development.

Talk

Indigenous languages of the various tribal groups are most common. In the towns, many speak Hindi, Assamese, or English as a second language.

Travel to North Cachar - Visa Requirements

There is daily commercial bus service from Guwahati and Shillong. The area can be reached by train from Guwahati, with a transfer in Lumding. A scenic local train to Silchar has stops in Langting and Haflong Hill.

Tours and Getting around North Cachar

Three-wheeled taxis are ubiquitous in the towns: always make sure of your destination and fare before getting in. Inter-town transport is availavle in buses and "Sumos," large jeeps that often carry ten or more passengers in a quite crowded cab.

North Cachar tourist attractions and sightseeing

Itineraries

North Cachar city tours

Hiking through the countryside would prove a treat for nature lovers. It would be unwise to do this without a local guide.

North Cachar Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

North Cachar nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

The Dimasa are proud of their traditional dju, a rice beer.

Stay safe

There has been a history of inter-tribal violence in the area. There are also a number of violent liberation groups. Obviously it is good to check a knowledgable travel agent for local conditions. Becuase of the violence there is a heavy police and paramilitary presence in parts of the district. It is probably unwise to travel in the region without a local guide.

Get out

This page was last edited by Michael R. Kolb. Based on work by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license