The Hill Districts of Assam: Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao
Assam is usually imagined as a land of plains and tea gardens, but two of its districts are almost entirely hilly. Together, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao form the state's hill region. They lie to the south of the Brahmaputra valley, share borders with Meghalaya, Nagaland and Manipur, and are home to communities whose languages, festivals and ways of life are quite different from those of the plains. For competitive exams, this is a favourite area because the facts here are specific and easy to test: district headquarters, old names, peaks, rivers and the special constitutional status of these districts.
Two districts, once joined
Before reorganisation, the two hill districts were not separate in the way they are today. The area now called Karbi Anglong was earlier known as the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills district, while Dima Hasao was earlier called the North Cachar Hills district. The headquarters of Karbi Anglong is Diphu, and the headquarters of Dima Hasao is Haflong. Karbi Anglong is the larger of the two by area, spread over roughly 10,434 square kilometres, which also makes it the largest district of Assam. Dima Hasao covers about 4,890 square kilometres. Both districts are administered under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, through autonomous councils, which gives them a distinct administrative identity within the state.
The hills and ranges
The hill region is part of the same geological belt that includes the Meghalaya plateau and the Barail range. The Barail range is the most prominent here, and its highest point, known as Temple Peak or Laike, lies in the North Cachar Hills area. In Karbi Anglong the highest point is the Singhasan peak, also called Dhengdhenjan, which rises to about 1,360 metres. These hills separate the Brahmaputra valley in the north from the Barak valley in the south, and it is because of them that the two valleys have such different climates and cultures. Travelling from the plains of Nagaon into the hills, the change in temperature and vegetation is noticeable within a few hours.
People and culture
The Karbi people, also known as Mikir, are the main community of Karbi Anglong, and the Karbi language is widely spoken there. In Dima Hasao the Dimasa, a branch of the larger Kachari group, form the main community. Both communities have a rich tradition of festivals and folk culture. The Rongker festival is celebrated by the Karbi community, while the Dimasa observe their own ceremonies through the year. Agriculture is the main occupation, and jhum or shifting cultivation is still practised on the hill slopes, along with settled paddy cultivation in the valleys. Villages are often built on ridges, and the terraced fields on the hillsides are a common sight.
Rivers and natural features
The Dhansiri river is the most important river of the Karbi Anglong hills, and it also marks part of the boundary between Assam and Nagaland before joining the Brahmaputra. Several tributaries of the Barak, including the Barak itself, rise from the North Cachar or Barail hills and flow south into the Barak valley. The hill districts are also mineral-rich: limestone and coal are found in these areas, which is why cement plants and small mines have come up around places like Umrangso. Dima Hasao is famous for Jatinga, where a strange seasonal phenomenon, often described as the bird mystery of Jatinga, attracts attention from all over the world. Haflong, the district headquarters, is the only hill station of Assam and is known for its cool climate and scenic views.
Why this topic matters for competitive examinations
Examiners frequently ask about the two hill districts because their names, headquarters and old names are easy to confuse and therefore make good objective questions. Questions on the Sixth Schedule, the autonomous councils, the highest peaks, the Karbi and Dimasa communities, the Rongker festival and the Jatinga phenomenon are all common. Assam-specific papers often test whether a candidate knows which districts are hill districts and which rivers flow through them. Because so much of this is factual, a single careful revision can secure several marks.
How to prepare this topic
- Learn the pairs together: Karbi Anglong with Diphu, Dima Hasao with Haflong.
- Remember the old names - United Mikir and North Cachar Hills for Karbi Anglong, and North Cachar Hills for Dima Hasao.
- Fix the peaks: Temple Peak or Laike in the Barail range, and Singhasan or Dhengdhenjan in Karbi Anglong.
- Connect each community with its district and festival - Karbi with Karbi Anglong and Rongker, Dimasa with Dima Hasao.
- Note the Sixth Schedule link, since it explains the autonomous councils of both districts.
Common exam traps
- Do not mix up the headquarters: Diphu is in Karbi Anglong, Haflong is in Dima Hasao.
- Temple Peak belongs to the Barail range, not to the Karbi Anglong hills.
- Dima Hasao was formerly called North Cachar Hills, while Karbi Anglong was the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills district - the two old names are similar and often swapped.
- Jatinga is in Dima Hasao, not in Karbi Anglong.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which are the only two hill districts of Assam?
The two hill districts of Assam are Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. Both lie to the south of the Brahmaputra valley, are largely hilly, and enjoy special administrative arrangements under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution through their autonomous councils. Karbi Anglong is the larger district, while Dima Hasao is the smaller of the two.
What is the constitutional basis for the hill districts of Assam?
Both districts are covered by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides for autonomous district councils in the hill areas of the north-eastern states. This is why Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao have autonomous councils with powers over land, forests and local administration, which ordinary districts of Assam do not have.
Why is Haflong important?
Haflong is the headquarters of Dima Hasao district and is the only hill station of Assam. It stands at a high elevation, so its climate is cooler than the plains, and it is known for its scenery, its lakes and its role as the base for visiting the district. The headquarters of the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council is also located at Haflong.
What is the Jatinga phenomenon?
Jatinga, a small place in Dima Hasao district, is known for a much-discussed phenomenon in which birds are said to fly towards lights on dark, misty nights and fall to the ground. It has been widely written about and attracts researchers and visitors, and it is one of the most commonly asked Dima Hasao facts in competitive examinations.
What is jhum cultivation and where is it practised in Assam?
Jhum, or shifting cultivation, is a traditional method in which a patch of hillside forest is cleared and cultivated for a few years and then left fallow so that the soil can recover. It is practised mainly by the communities of the hill districts such as Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, alongside settled paddy farming in the flatter parts of those districts.