The Dimasa Kachari Ruins are a set of ruins located in Dimapur, Nagaland. Their history dates back to the 10th century when they appeared during the Dimasa Kachari civilization. The Dimasa Kachari Ruins is a series of mushroom domed pillars. They were created by the Dimasa Kachari Kingdom, which ruled here before the Ahom invasion into the territory during the 13th Century AD.
The Kachari Kingdom was a powerful kingdom in medieval Assam. The rulers belonged to the Dimasa people, part of the greater Bodo-Kachari ethnic group. The Kachari kingdom and others (Kamata, Chutiya), led by chieftains of indigenous tribes, developed in the wake of the Kamarupa kingdom, were examples of indigenous state formations in Medieval Assam. Remnant of the Kachari kingdom existed till the advent of the British, and this kingdom gave its name to two present districts in Assam: Cachar and North Cachar Hills.
The origin of the Kachari Kingdom is not clear. As per tradition, the Kacharis Dimasas had to leave the Kamarupa Kingdom in the ancient period due to political turmoil. As they crossed the Brahmaputra river, some of their compatriots were swept down the river and came to be called Dimasa (Dima-basa), sons of the great river Dima, the Dhansiri river.
Dimasa had a tradition of worshiping Kechai Khaiti, the goddess in Sadiya. According to a legend, constructed at the time the royal family was Hinduized at Maibong, the royal family descends from Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima of the Mahabharata fame, and Hidimbi a princess of the Dimasa people.
Their origin and purpose are largely mysterious.It is not clearly known what the tombs signify. But historians believe they were set up either as feats of achievements or there were religious significance. The park looks like a gigantic chess board from aerial view with the pillars resembling stone made pawns. The tombs exist as instances of historically significant megalithic culture which flourished in the region before the rise of Ahom Dynasty. Some of them are 20 feet high.The mushroom doomed pillars are not well maintained. Some pillars still stand in all their glory but others have crumbled down. It is believed that a game similar to chess was played there with the mushroom dooms. Present Day- The ruins have long been neglected by the people and the government. It is a protected monument but not a single guard or police personnel can be seen there. More has to be done to preserve what is left of it.
(image courtesy: Nelive, google)