The stone house and (above) stone inscriptions in Maibong. Telegraph pictures

Nagaon, July 26: Monuments, statues and relics of the Kachari kingdom, that was established in Dima Hasao district before 1854 are in a state of decay as neither Dispur nor the local autonomous council is interested in preserving these.

Encroachment also poses a threat to the existence of the Dimasa capital complex at Old Maibong.

The stone house at Maibong town, inscriptions on stone and dilapidated ramparts tells a tale of apathy and stand witness to the myopic vision of the community’s leaders.

“If you begin from the Archaeological Survey of India, you will find some worn out brick half walls — the tops of which were once grilled. In some cases you would find only a signboard of the ASI to establish that it was once protected and preserved,” said Binod Johri of Maibong town.

The Dimasa (Kachari) kingdom was controlled from Maibong for as many as 200 years till the end of the 17th century while it was finally shifted to neighbouring Khaspur in Cachar district.

Old Maibong was the capital of Kachari kingdom and covered an area of 3 square km.

Most of the ancient structures were destroyed when encroachers moved in.

The stone house at Maibong town, on the bank of the Mahur, was established by king Meghnarayan in the 16th century.

“According to ancient customs such a house hewn out of a single stone is cut within a night and work is finished before the cock crows. That stone house remained unfinished as a cock crowed at midnight on that particular date,” Hojai said.

Erosion by the river Mahur also poses a big threat to the stone house.

The situation took a turn for the worse when the river eroded a part of the ground and made the house lean towards the river.

“We formed a committee and started the construction of a retaining wall to save the stone house, but the district administration stopped that and promised to take up a Rs 30-lakh project to rescue it. The project has not seen the light of the day,” said Ashok Langthasa, a Maibong villager.

“Right now the existing plot is protected with a boundary wall. The stone house at Maibong needs maintenance and we are asking the government to take an initiative,” said Maibong sub-divisional officer G.K. Pegu.

Two big ramparts erected at Umrangsu and Doyangmugh during the Kachari reign are also falling apart.

Part of the rampart near the river Diyung (at Doyangmukh) was destroyed for construction of the road from Lanka to Haflong.

Another part was cleared to establish a PWD inspection bungalow.

The Umrangsu rampart has also fallen prey to negligence.

“Preservation of these beautiful signs of history of the Dimasa community was one among our major demands before New Delhi and Dispur when we went ahead for political dialogue. We have been demanding action repeatedly, but nobody listens to our prayer,” said DHD (Dilip) chief Dilip Nunisa.

Panimur, a tourist spot, and Hajong, a lake in Maibong famous for 11 different varieties of tortoises, were also under the Rs 45-crore project, supposed to have been completed in 2008.