The formation of the Naga Hills District in 1866 marked the shift from occasional British expeditions to permanent colonial administration in the Naga Hills. Its headquarters moved from Samaguting, now Chümoukedima, to Wokha and finally to Kohima. These changes reflected the changing geography of colonial control and laid the administrative foundation from which the region was governed until the creation of the Naga Hills–Tuensang Area in 1957.
For NPSC, the movement of the headquarters is a factual area, but the reasons and consequences are equally important for Mains.
Formation of the Naga Hills District: Early Conditions
After British control of Assam expanded in the nineteenth century, officials faced repeated frontier incidents and difficulties in maintaining the route toward Manipur. Early expeditions collected information and punished villages accused of raids, but they did not provide stable administration.
The Naga Hills contained many independent villages. There was no central ruler through whom the British could govern the entire region. Permanent administration therefore had to grow outward from a local headquarters, using political negotiation, armed force and village intermediaries.
Establishment at Samaguting in 1866
In 1866, the British established the Naga Hills District within Assam and placed its first headquarters at Samaguting, the present Chümoukedima. The location stood near the plains and provided access from the Assam side. It allowed officials to maintain a frontier post without immediately occupying the deeper hill region.
Chümoukedima’s official district history records that it served as the first headquarters from 1866 until the office moved to Wokha in 1875. The town’s early administrative role is therefore central to the history of the district, even though Kohima later became far more prominent.
Why the Headquarters Moved to Wokha
As administration extended farther into the hills, Samaguting became less suitable as the principal centre. Wokha occupied a position closer to the Lotha area and to zones in which the colonial state wanted stronger control. The headquarters moved there in 1875.
The change reveals that the district was not a fixed territory fully controlled from the beginning. Its administrative centre moved as surveys, roads and political operations expanded. Wokha’s period as headquarters was short, but it remained important as a subdivision after the next transfer.
Transfer to Kohima
The district headquarters moved to Kohima in 1879 according to the current official Chümoukedima district account; older sources sometimes give 1878 for the administrative transfer. For examination writing, it is safest to explain the sequence and note that the transfer was completed around 1878–79.
Kohima had a more central and strategic position in relation to the Angami area and the route toward Manipur. It developed into the main political and administrative centre of the Naga Hills. The move also increased contact and tension with powerful neighbouring villages, contributing to the conflict at Khonoma.
Read the Battle of Khonoma for the immediate military crisis that followed.
Structure of District Administration
The Deputy Commissioner stood at the centre of colonial district government. The office combined political, executive, police and judicial functions. In a frontier district with limited staff and difficult terrain, one official exercised wide authority.
Administration depended heavily on local intermediaries:
- Dobashis interpreted language and custom and later acquired important judicial responsibilities;
- village headmen and elders communicated orders and represented local concerns;
- police and political personnel maintained posts and escorted officials;
- road and labour arrangements connected the headquarters with villages and the plains.
The state did not replace every customary institution. It selected and reshaped local authority to make a thin administrative system workable.
Expansion of the District
The boundaries of the Naga Hills District expanded gradually. Areas inhabited by different tribes came under regular administration at different times. Some eastern regions remained outside direct district control for much longer. Maps that show one final district boundary can therefore hide the slow and contested nature of expansion.
The distinction between administered and unadministered areas became a major feature of frontier policy. Officials conducted tours and maintained political relations beyond zones of continuous administration without always establishing full control.
Naga Hills as a Special Administrative Area
Twentieth-century constitutional reforms classified the Naga Hills separately from ordinary provincial districts. Under colonial arrangements, the area came to be treated as a backward or excluded tract, with the Governor exercising special responsibility. These classifications limited the operation of normal representative institutions.
The policy was presented as protection of tribal society, but it also kept political power concentrated in executive hands. This dual character—protection and administrative isolation—should be recognised in Mains answers.
From Naga Hills District to Naga Hills–Tuensang Area
After Indian independence, the political future of the region became a major issue. In 1957, the Naga Hills District of Assam and the Tuensang Frontier Division were brought together to form the Naga Hills–Tuensang Area. The new unit was administered under a special arrangement.
The Naga People’s Convention later negotiated the Sixteen-Point Agreement of 1960, which provided the basis for a separate state. Nagaland was inaugurated on 1 December 1963. Thus, the district formed in 1866 was not the same as the modern state, but it was one of its important administrative predecessors.
Historical Importance of the District
Permanent Colonial Presence
The district replaced temporary frontier operations with a continuing administrative structure.
Growth of Kohima
The final transfer of headquarters made Kohima the dominant administrative centre. It later became the capital of Nagaland.
Use of Customary Intermediaries
Dobashis, village authorities and customary practices became part of district governance. Their influence continued after colonial rule.
Creation of Wider Political Networks
The headquarters, schools, employment and communication brought people from different villages and tribes into more regular contact. These networks contributed to wider Naga political organisation in the twentieth century.
Samaguting, Wokha and Kohima: Quick Comparison
| Headquarters | Approximate Period | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Samaguting/Chümoukedima | 1866–1875 | First headquarters near the Assam plains |
| Wokha | 1875–1878/79 | Short-lived centre during expansion into the hills |
| Kohima | From 1878/79 | Permanent principal centre and later state capital |
How to Prepare the Topic for NPSC
For Prelims, remember 1866 and the order Samaguting–Wokha–Kohima. For Mains, explain why the headquarters moved and how district administration combined direct authority with customary intermediaries. Connect the topic with British expansion into the Naga Hills, the Naga Hills–Tuensang Area and statehood.
The complete chronology is arranged on the Nagaland PSC Notes page. The Nagaland PSC Foundation Course 2026–2027 provides guided preparation for Nagaland history and the wider NPSC syllabus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the first headquarters of the Naga Hills District?
It was at Samaguting, the present Chümoukedima, from 1866.
Why was Kohima chosen as the final headquarters?
Its central and strategic position provided better access to the Angami region and the route toward Manipur.
Was the Naga Hills District identical to present-day Nagaland?
No. Its boundaries and administrative status changed over time. The modern state emerged through the Naga Hills–Tuensang Area and the statehood settlement.