Situated on the banks of the river dhansiri, (originally known as dong-siri meaning a ravine of peaceful habitation) dimapur, often described as the ‘brick city’ by European scholars and also by the ahoms, was the ancient capital of a ruling nation, the dimasa, who were once a powerful and predominant race in the entire north-east India region particularly the Brahmaputra valley. There are two versions of how dimapur got its name. Many writers are of the opinion that the name ’ dimapur’ was derived from dimasa kachari words di-meaning water, ma-meaning big and pur-meaning city or township in dimasa dialogue. While other believe that dimapur is a corruption of hidimbapur, meaning the city of hidimba of Mahabharata fame whose wedlock with pandava prince bhima gave birth to ghotokacha, who is believed to be the progenitor of the kacharis. Later hidimbapur devolved to dimbapur and then finally to dimapur. In some dimasa kachari folklores dimapur is often referred as dimabang halali, which implies that dimapur was originally known by that name but was sanskritized later by the brahmins. In ahom chronicles dimapur has been described as ‘che-din-chi-pen’ (town-earth-burn-make) meaning ‘brick town’ or ‘ che-dima’ meaning town of dimasa
The seat of capital of dimapur kingdom was originally surrounded by bricks walls of four feet wide, sixteen feet high with outer ditch running alongside the walls of sixteen feet width and twelve feet in depth except on the southern side where the river dhansiriserved as the natural ditch. On the eastern side there was a fine solid gateway with brick masonry of pointed double arcs. The gate was secured by double heavy doors hinged in pierced upright setting of solid stone blocks. At both ends of the battlement there were turrets of half quadrant shape and in between the arc-way and the turrets were niches resembling ornamental windows. On both sides above the arc there were symbolic works of sun flower. There were
