Bhismaknagar

Bhismaknagar is an archeological site in Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is located east of Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district. The remains are ascribed to the rule of the Chutias, a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group, who ruled over the region of Sadiya from 11th to 16th Century CE. It formed part of the historical Sadhayapura capital region of the Chutia kingdom and can be identified with the fortified hill city of Doi-Thang described in the Buranjis. Doi-Thang (also known as Thanggiri), was one of the three fortified cities mentioned in the Buranjis, the others being Barnagar (Che-lung in Tai) and Chandangiri (Doi-Chantan). The original fort may have been associated with the line of hill-foot forts attributed to the Chutia king Gaurinarayan. According to the Chutia chronicles, Gaurinarayan, after consolidating his kingdom, “built a line of forts along the foot of the hills”, along with large tanks and temples. Location It is located in the Lower Dibang Valley district. The campus of the old city is spread over an area of 2500 acres. Etymology The name Bhismaknagar for the present-day site was first recorded in the book "Northeast Frontier of India" (1883) and later in the "Assam District Gazetteer" (1928), where it appears to have been derived from references to works, attributed to the 16th-century Vaishnavite reformer Sankardev, that were popular in the Sadiya region (which eventually found its way into the later Chutia chronicles). Earlier colonial accounts by T. Rowlatt in 1845 and S. F. Hannay in 1848, however, referred to the present-day Bhismaknagar site as Sishupal Nagar, while applying the name Bhismaknagar or Bishnook Nuggur to a different archaeological location in the Dibang-Dikrong foothill region. This suggests that the identification of the modern-day site with Bhismaknagar emerged from a later conflation of distinct archaeological sites during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Historically, the entire region was known as Sadhayapura (the rulers being Sadhayapur-ishwar) as per copper inscriptions and the fort formed part of the capital region of the Chutia king Laksminarayana. Identification The Buranjis mention two hill-fortified cities of the Chutia kingdom in the capital region, namely Chandangiri (Doi-Chantan), located near the Dibang river, and Thanggiri (Doi-Thang), situated near the Kundil river, in addition to the capital city of Barnagar (Che-lung). The present-day site of Bhismaknagar, located near the Kundil river, has been identified with the historical Doi-Thang hill fortification described in the Buranjis. Captain John Mitchell in his book "Northeast Frontier of India" (1883) noted that the hills to the north of Bhismaknagar were known as Thengri-thaya by the Mishmis, where thaya means "hill" in the Mishmi language. This linguistic continuity suggests that the Bhismaknagar hill may have been historically known as Thanggiri. History Bhismaknagar is an important ancient archaeological site. The site was one of the strongholds of the Chutia Kingdom. The ruins have been dated between the 11th–16th centuries. Bhismaknagar formed part of Sadhayapura (or Svadhayapura), the political centre of the Chutia Kingdom. The Buranjis record that the fortified hill city of Doi-Thang served as the seat of the Chutia minister Kasitora (written as Kai-tora). He was attacked by the Ahom general Chao-seng-kung-rin (Kong-Sheng) in 1524, who killed and beheaded him, presenting his head to the Ahom king Suhungmung, then stationed at Barnagar. The Chutias of Doi-Thang are further recorded to have revolted in 1529 CE, though the uprising was subsequently suppressed. Architecture According to early accounts by T. Rowlatt (1845), the fort was situated on an elevated plain at the foot of the hills and was protected by a double line of defence. This consisted of a rampart of compact red clay, likely transported from elsewhere, with a terrace approximately 20 yards wide below it. Beyond this, the hillside was sharply scarped, rising between 10 and 30 feet in height. The fort appears to have been defended on three sides, with the steep slopes of the Mishmi Hills to the north providing a natural barrier, eliminating the need for additional fortifications. The principal entrance and adjoining defensive sections were constructed of brick, and remains of multiple brick structures within the enclosure suggest that residential buildings were built of masonry. British explorer Rowlatt writes,"..and on many spots in the interior I observed remains of the same materials (bricks), so that in all probability the houses occupied by the inhabitants must have been built of masonry." During an Assam Rifles expedition of 1919–20, L. W. Shakespear recorded further details of the ruins. He described a high earthen rampart with a ditch in front, and observed that masses of bricks scattered around it indicated that the rampart had originally been topped by a brick wall. The rampart enclosed what he described as “a vast space”, within which were traces of tanks then choked with earth and jungle growth, numerous brick plinths and stone platforms, and the brick foundations of what had evidently been an extensive building. Parts of the walls of this brick foundation remained standing to a height of three to five feet. Shakespear noted that the bricks were large, thick and nearly square, without visible marks or ornamentation. The fortifications and associated structures are largely composed of fired bricks, and the fortified city is spread over an area of approximately 10 square kilometres. The defensive walls, extending along the eastern, western, and southern sides, measure about 4.5 metres in height and 6 metres in width. Although only limited excavation has been carried out, preliminary investigations have revealed the presence of three tanks and two gateways located along the eastern and western sides of the fortification. The central complex of Bhismaknagar extends over an area of approximately 1,860 square metres and comprises three halls, six entrances, and two additional chambers. A stone wall about 2 metres in height has also been identified within the complex. The material culture recovered from the site, including pottery, terracotta figurines, terracotta plaques, and decorative tiles, reflects the artistic and architectural traditions of the medieval period. Gallery Notes References See also Rukmininagar Fort Tamreswari Temple Padum Pukhuri Naksaparvat Pratimagarh Sadiya Chutia kingdom Gomsi Ita Fort Ramghat-Tarasso Ruins