Chümoukedima (), previously spelled Chumukedima, formerly known as Samaguting, is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the

Chümoukedima District Chümoukedima (), previously spelled Chumukedima, formerly known as Samaguting, is a municipality in the Chümoukedima District of the Indian state of Nagaland. It is situated on the left bank of the Chathe and with its surrounding area that ...

of the Indian state of

Nagaland Nagaland () is a States and union territories of India, state in the northeast India, north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Sel ...

. It is situated on the left bank of the

Chathe The Chathe is a river that flows through the Chümoukedima District of Nagaland, it flows to join the Dhansiri River in Assam which together in turn is a left tributary of the Brahmaputra River The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which ...

and with its surrounding area that includes several other towns and villages, the

Chümoukedima Metropolitan Area Chümoukedima Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area of Chümoukedima and its surrounding region, located in south-west Nagaland, India. It is the largest metropolitan area in Nagaland and the third largest in population after Dimapur and Ko ...

is the largest urban agglomeration in Nagaland in terms of area and third largest in terms of population, after

Dimapur Dimapur () is the largest city and municipality in the Indian state of Nagaland. As of 2024 , the municipality had a population of 172,000. The city is the main gateway and commercial centre of Nagaland. Located near the border with Assam along ...

and

Kohima Kohima (; Tenyidie: Kewhira ()) is the capital of the North East Indian state of Nagaland. With a resident population of almost 100,000, it is the second largest city in the state. Kohima constitutes both a district and a municipality. The m ...

. Chümoukedima is the only

of the

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

of the same name. Chümoukedima was designated as the first headquarters of then Naga Hills District of

Assam Province Assam Province was a province of British India, created in 1912 by the partition of the Eastern Bengal and Assam Province. Its capital was in Shillong. The Assam territory was first separated from Bengal in 1874 as the 'North-East Frontier' ...

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

, from 1866 until the administrative office moved to

Wokha Wokha is a town and municipality in the Indian state of Nagaland. It is the headquarters of Wokha District and is located about 75 km north of the state capital, Kohima. Wokha literally means ''head count'' or ''census'' in the Lotha l ...

in 1875 and then to Kohima in 1879.

Names

During the colonial era, Chümoukedima was mispronounced as "Samaguting" by British officials. This was later corrected in the book, ''My Experiences in Manipur and the Naga Hills'' (1896) by James Johnstone, who acknowledged that the proper name was ''Chumookodima''.Johnstone, James.: ''My Experiences in Manipur and the Naga Hills'', 1896. Sampson Low, Marston and Company. London. pp. 17. In a public notice issued on 1 November 2017, the Chümoukedima Village Council stated that the name "Chümoukedima" had been incorrectly pronounced, spelled and recorded over time as "Chumukedima". To restore the original name, the council officially declared that henceforth it would be known and identified as "Chümoukedima" in all official and informal contexts.

History

Chümoukedima has a historical background rooted in the interactions between the indigenous

Naga Naga or NAGA may refer to: Mythology * Nāga, a serpentine deity or race in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions ** Phaya Naga, mythical creatures believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong River ** Naga, another name for Bakunawa, an ...

s, the Ahoms and the Dimasas. The region has been a focal point of trade, conflict and cultural exchange for centuries.

Early encounters and Ahom influence

According to Ahom chronicles (

Buranji Buranjis (Ahom language: ''ancient writings'') are a class of historical chronicles and manuscripts associated with the Ahom kingdom. There were written initially in the Ahom Language and later in the Assamese language as well. The Buranjis ar ...

s), during

Sukaphaa Sukaphaa (), also Siu-Ka-Pha, the first Ahom kingdom, Ahom Ahom Dynasty, king in medieval Assam, was the founder of the Ahom kingdom and the architect of Assam. A prince of the Su/Tsu (Tiger) clan of the Mao-Shan sub-tribe originally from prese ...

's reign (1228–1268), the Nagas, including those of the

Angami Naga The Angamis are a major Naga ethnic group native to the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland. They predominantly inhabit the Kohima District, Chümoukedima District Chümoukedima (), previously spelled Chumukedima, formerly known as Sama ...

s in Chümoukedima, were engaged in conflicts with the Ahoms but were kept under control through land grants and taxation agreements. In the Burajis account, Sukhapha encountered a Kachari group that had been displaced from a place called Mohung (Mohung Dejao) after losing it to the Angami Nagas. Following conflicts between the Ahoms and the

Dimasa kingdom The Dimasa Kingdom also known as Kachari kingdom was a late medieval/early modern kingdom in Assam, Northeast India ruled by Dimasa kings. The Dimasa kingdom and others ( Kamata, Chutiya) that developed in the wake of the Kamarupa kingdom we ...

, the Dimasa Raja and his followers migrated to the

Medziphema Medziphema is a town and Subdistrict, sub-division located in Chümoukedima district, Chümoukedima District of Nagaland state of India. Medziphema Town and Medziphema Village are situated few kilometers apart, the village stands on a hill top ...

and Rüzaphema valleys before settling in the Chümoukedima peaks at Tsiedukhru. Remnants of this settlement, such as whetstones and

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...

, continue to be found in the region.

Colonial era

During the British era from 1866 to 1875, Chümoukedima served as the first headquarters of the then Naga Hills District of

, when it was known as Samaguting, and coming to prominence during the 1944 Japanese offensive into

Manipur Manipur () is a state in northeastern India with Imphal as its capital. It borders the Indian states of Assam to the west, Mizoram to the south, and Nagaland to the north and shares the international border with Myanmar, specifically t ...

and the

Naga Hills The Naga Hills, reaching a height of around , lie prominently on the border of India and Myanmar. They are part of a complex mountain system, and the parts of the mountain ranges inside the States and territories of India, Indian states of Naga ...

during the

South-East Asian theatre of World War II The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II consisted of the campaigns of the Pacific War in the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Philippines, Thailand, Dutch East Indies, Indonesia, Indochina, British rule in Burma, Burma, British Raj, India ...

Contemporary era

On 2 December 1997, the

Government of Nagaland The Government of Nagaland also known as the State Government of Nagaland, or locally as State Government, is the governing authority of the India state of Nagaland and its Districts of Nagaland, 17 districts. It consists of an executive branch ...

declared the erstwhile- Dimapur Sub-Division of Kohima District as a full-fledged District with Chümoukedima as its district headquarter. Construction of a new Deputy Commissioner's Office Complex at Chümoukedima soon began with the old Additional Deputy Commissioner's Office Complex at

continuing to temporarily serve the new district but over the years there were stiff oppositions from various Dimapur-based Civil Society Organizations to shift the district headquarters to Chümoukedima. On 18 December 2021, the Government of Nagaland in response split the Dimapur District into three separate districts—Chümoukedima, the existing Dimapur and Niuland.

Geography

Chümoukedima is situated in the foothills of the

rising above the city from the south. The main city centre is located on the left bank of the

. The Tourist Village at the top of the southern hills projects a

bird's eye view A bird's-eye view is an elevated view of an object or location from a very steep viewing angle, creating a perspective as if the observer were a bird in flight looking downward. Bird's-eye views can be an aerial photograph, but also a drawi ...

of the whole of Chümoukedima District, Dimapur District and other parts of

Karbi Anglong District Karbi Anglong district is an District, administrative unit in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Assam. It is an autonomous district administered by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) according to the provisions ...

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

Waterfall A waterfall is any point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in seve ...

s are also located in this area.

Climate

Chümoukedima experiences a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

with distinct seasonal variations. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are mild. The

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

season brings heavy rainfall to the region.

Wards

The city has 11 administrative wards:

Demographics

India census, Chümoukedima had a population of 43,516.

Economy

Chümoukedima is one of the fastest-growing urban centres in Nagaland. In fact, it forms part of the Chümoukedima–Dimapur urban area, which is the largest and the fastest-growing urban hub of Nagaland. The town's population has grown by nearly five times in the last two decades.

Culture

Parks

Appu Park is a park located inside Chümoukedima Police Complex. The

Nagaland Zoological Park The Nagaland Zoological Park is a zoo located at Rangapahar in the Chümoukedima District of Nagaland Nagaland () is a States and union territories of India, state in the northeast India, north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the I ...

Green Park The Green Park, one of the Royal Parks of London, is in the City of Westminster, Central London. Green Park is to the north of the gardens and semi-circular forecourt of Buckingham Palace, across Constitution Hill road. The park is in the m ...

, Aqua Mellow Park, Agri Expo site, Niathu Resort and Noune Resort are all located in the

Media

Chümoukedima is home to Nagaland's first satellite television network: Hornbill TV.

Sports

Football is a popular sports in the city. The 2025 Nagaland Super League was held mainly at the Chümoukedima Football Stadium. The stadium is located inside the Chümoukedima Police Complex. The city is also home to Nagaland United FC, which plays in the Nagaland Super League. Chümoukedima co-hosted the 3rd edition of the North East Games in 2024.

Transportation

Air

Chümoukedima is served by the

Dimapur Airport Dimapur Airport is a domestic airport serving Chümoukedima–Dimapur and its neighbouring areas in the state of Nagaland, India. It is located between the districts of Chümoukedima and Dimapur, from where National Highway 29 (formerly NH- ...

located north from the city centre.

Road

Highways passing through Chümoukedima

Asian Highway 1 Asian Highway 1 (AH1) is the longest east-west route of the Asian Highway Network, running from Tokyo, Japan via the Korean Peninsula (South Korea and North Korea), China (Mainland China and Hong Kong), Mainland Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Camb ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

– Chümoukedima –

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

Asian Highway 2 Asian Highway 2 (AH2) is a road in the Asian Highway Network running from Denpasar, Indonesia to Merak, and Singapore to Khosravi, Iran. The route is connected to M10 of the Arab Mashreq International Road Network. The route is as follows: I ...

Denpasar Denpasar (; Balinese script, Balinese: ᬤᬾᬦ᭄ᬧᬲᬃ, ''Dénpasar'') is the capital city of the province of Bali, Indonesia. Denpasar is the largest city in the Lesser Sunda Islands and the second largest city in Eastern Indonesia after ...

– Chümoukedima - Khosravi * : Dabaka (Assam) – Chümoukedima – Jessami (Manipur)

Rail

Chümoukedima is connected with the Chümoukedima Shokhüvi Railway Station located south-west from the city center. The

Dimapur Railway Station Dimapur Railway Station is a railway station on the Lumding–Dibrugarh section. It is located in Dimapur District in the Indian state of Nagaland. It serves Dimapur and its surrounding areas. History The -wide metre-gauge railway earlier ...

is located north from Chümoukedima.

Education

Universities and Colleges

* ICFAI University * St. Joseph University *

Mount Mary College Mount Mary University is a private Catholic women's university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. The university was founded in 1913 by the School Sisters of Notre Dame National Institute of Technology, Nagaland National Institute of Technology Nagaland (NIT Nagaland or NITN) is a higher education technology institute located in Chümoukedima, Nagaland, India. It is one of the 31 National Institutes of Technology in India. NIT Nagaland was set up by the ...

* Patkai Christian College *

Tetso College Tetso College is a co-educational arts, commerce and management college with its main college campus located at Sovima in the Chümoukedima District of Nagaland in India. It offers Higher Secondary, Undergraduate and Post Graduate courses. The ...

* North East Institute of Social sciences & Research * Norman Putsure College * College of Nursing CIHSR * C-Edge College * J.N. Aier College * Oriental Theological Seminary * National Research Centre on Mithun

Schools

* North Town Higher Secondary School * St. Joseph Higher Secondary School * DMI St. Joseph Global School * Charis High Academy * Godwin Higher Secondary School * Mount Mary Higher Secondary School

Notable residents

Politics

S. C. Jamir Senayangba Chubatoshi Jamir (born 17 October 1931) is an Indian politician and former Governor of Odisha. He was Parliamentary Secretary to Jawaharlal Nehru and Deputy Minister under Indira Gandhi. He has served as the Chief Minister of Nagala ...

, Politician * Salhoutuonuo Kruse, Politician *

Neiphiu Rio Neiphiu Guolhoulie Rio (born 11 November 1950) is an Indian politician who is serving as the 9th and current Chief Minister of Nagaland since 2018, previously 2003 to 2014 and from 2018 till date. He is the only Nagaland Chief Minister to have ...

, Politician * Zhaleo Rio, Politician

Sport

Chekrovolü Swüro Chekrovolü Swüro (born 21 November 1982) is an Indian archer from Nagaland. She represented India in archery in the 2002 Asian Games and 2006 Asian Games held at Busan, South Korea, and Doha, Qatar, respectively. She was a member of the silv ...

, Sportsperson

Notes

References

External links

Official sites

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chumoukedima Cities and towns in Chümoukedima district Chümoukedima district