Haflong

Haflong is a hill station in the Cachar district of Assam. At an elevation of 680 meters, Haflong is a small town with a population of about 40000 people. It is the only hill station in Assam.

Haflong is famous for its amazing natural beauty of the hills and the valleys covered with flowers and huge trees. Haflong is also a paradise for Ornithologists. Jatinga is a village located on the spur of the Haflong ridge.

Haflong is situated 355 km away from Guwahati and 84 km from Silchar. Haflong has a railway station, 3 km from the main town. Lumding Junction Railway Station is 60 km away. It is the district headquarters of North Cachar Hills. Haflong is a land of pleasing blue orchards, pineapple, and oranges.

Apart from its scenic beauty, the hills of Haflong are also known for their flowers including the orchids such as Blue Vanda, rare species of birds, Pineapple, Peaches, and Oranges. There is an Orchid Garden in Haflong which is worth a dekko.

The majority of the local population are tribals. The non-tribals are mostly government employees and traders living in urban & semi-urban areas. The main tribal community includes Himar, Mizo, Naga, Dimasa, Hmar, Kuki, Naga, Hrangkhol, Baite etc. The main language of Haflong is Dimasa. English, Hindi, Assamese, Mizo, Hmar, Vaiphei etc are also spoken here. The small and serene Villages shelter the lovely people – warm and fascinating – and as colourful as the land itself. Adventure enthusiasts can enjoy trekking on the Borail range, hang-gliding and paragliding are also possible.

Things to See

Jatinga is a place famous for bird mystery (Birds Harakiri). 9 km from Haflong, Jatinga is a village located on the spur of the Haflong ridge. The migratory birds come here during the months of August to November.

The Jatinga phenomena occur in foggy and misty weather conditions, during the post-monsoon months of September to November, on moonless nights when the air is blowing in the southerly direction. On a specific 1.5 km stretch of Jatinga, a large number of birds move towards light sources such as searchlights. The birds are so dazed they don’t try to fly away as villagers hit them with projectiles and bamboo. The Jatinga phenomena are still not explained fully. About 44 species of birds have been found to have been caught by the phenomenon. It has been found that migratory birds do not get caught in the phenomena; it is mostly the birds of the neighbourhood area. There is an elevated watch tower for bird watching. A Rock concert accordingly known as Jatinga Rock Fest is held thrice every year in aid of Jatinga.

Haflong Lake – Situated in the heart of the hill station, Haflong Lake is one of the largest natural water bodies in Assam. The beautiful lake is also a good spot for various leisure activities and boating.

Maibang – Located on the bank of the river Mahur 53 km from Haflong, Maibang once flourished as the capital of Kachari Kingdom. Stone house, Ramchandi Temple, the Mahur Lake & other ruins of the kingdom are the main attractions of the place.

Umrangso –112 km away from Haflong is the location of the huge Hydel plant on the Kopili River. Near Umrangso, there is a Hot spring (GARAMPANI), the water of which is believed to have medicinal value.

Panimoor – Located 120 km from Haflong, the Kopili River turns into a thrilling waterfall, rolling over the rocks of Panimoor.

Muolhoi – Muolhoi is a Christian village comprising of the Hmar people, famous in the locality for churches and chapels, the hospitality of the people living there is worth mentioning. Muolhoi is the headquarters of the World Peace Center for the North East Region of India.