Dimapur is the largest city in the State of Nagaland and also the State capital. The city of Dimapur is bordered by Kohima district in the south and east, the Golaghat district of Assam to its north and the Karbi Anglong hills and district of Assam to its west. During the ancient times, Dimapur served as the capital of the Dimasa Kachari kingdom and the several ruins and artefacts across the city stands a testament to thi. Dimapur is inhabited by the Angami tribal people of Nagaland along with other tribes lie Ao Nagas and Sumi Nagas and other people with business interests from across India like Assamese, Bengali and Marwari communities. Dimapur is a modern city where visitors get to see a fusion of the ancient beliefs and rituals along with the modern life. The word ‘Dimapur’ is actually derives from a Kachari word where ‘Di’ means ‘water’, ‘Ma’ means ‘large’ and ‘Pur’ means ‘city’, translating to ‘Big river city’ as the river Dhansiri flows through the city.
Dimapur in addition to being the largest city of Nagaland also has the only functional airports and railway station in the State of Nagaland. Dimapur is well connected by air to Guwahati and Kolkata with various flight options available from these cities to Dimapur. By rail one can reach Dimapur railway station from Kolkata and Guwahati. One can reach Guwahati railway station and then catch another train to Dimapur (Shatabdi Express is very popular). Dimapur is also well connected by roads to Assam and Manipur. The National Highway 39 runs through Dimapur connecting it to the Myanmar border via Moreh and Imphal and to Guwahati via NH 37 at Doboka through Golaghat. Dimapur enjoys a temperate climate around the year. Summer lasts from April to May with temperatures ranging from 28 degrees to 35 degrees celsius, Monsoon begins from June through September and is highlighted with severe rains and humid climate, Winters vary from October through February with cold weather and it serves as the best time to visit Dimapur and Nagaland.
Dimapur is situated on the banks of the river Dhansiri and has been a part folklore from the times of being the capital of the Kachari Kingdom.
Dimapur played a pivotal role during the World War II as it was the staging point of the Allied forces that saw major action between them and the Japanese forces. The Allied forces laid siege in Dimapur and did not allow the Japanese forces to cross over to other parts of India and after the fierce battle of Kohima the Japanese had to retreat from South East Asia.
Today, Dimapur is a bustling city with various business activities, interests and local markets and strives as a gateway to business to Imphal in Manipur. The city has outgrown its capacity and continues to expand with settlers from various parts of Nagaland and North East India coming and settling down here in search of jobs and business opportunities.
While in Dimapur, visitors can chose to visit the Dimasa Kachari ruins, visit the local markets and purchase various traditional locally handmade goods, go for a day tour to Chumukedima, taste the flavorful cuisine of Nagaland at the various local food outlets of Dimapur, grab a bite of the local Naga King Chilli or even attend traditional Naga wrestling match.
Some of the popular tourist attractions of Dimapur are ~
1| Zoological Park ~ Dimapur ~ Nagaland
Located on a sprawling campus of 176 hectares with rolling plateaus and low hills, the Zoological Park at Dimapur (aka the Nagaland Zoological Park) was inaugurated in the year 2008 with a prime motive of promoting conservation of the Flora and Fauna of Nagaland. This park is located around 6 km from the heart of the city of Dimapur and has become a natural habitat for various animal and plant species leading to it being a popular tourist attraction of Dimapur. The authorities take adequate steps to educate the people about the animal species in the park and to educate them with conservation of animal species. One can easily hire a taxi or an auto to reach the Zoological Park from Dimapur city. The park remains open from 8 AM to 4 PM except Monday and a nominal entry fee is applied for all the visitors.
2| Green Park ~ Dimapur ~ Nagaland
Another important place of tourist interest in Dimapur is the Green park area that is located conveniently within the area of the State Horticultural Nursery and has a green cover of trees surrounding the entire area of the Park. Inside the premises of the Park one can find restaurants, resting shades, boating facilities and open places to relax and rejuvenate one’s mind. This park is an ideal spot to spend the weekends and organize picnics in a litter free zone area only. Most of the other tourist attractions of Dimapur are located near the vicinity of of this park.
3| Diezepha Craft Village ~ Dimapur ~ Nagaland
A popular place to witness the local arts and culture of Nagaland is the Diezephe Craft Village in Dimapur. The skilled craftsmen of this village belong to the Tenyimei community of Nagaland and they carve out various handmade items from bamboo, cane and wood work. The Nagaland Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd. promotes this village and their efforts in promotion can be seen as the products from this village is slowly being accepted across India and the demand continues to surge. This way has also helped the people to gain a source of livelihood from the ancient traditions of practices and have been able to generate sufficient income for their families. This village is a must visit on your Itinerary to Dimapur to carry home some exquisite Naga handicrafts and handlooms. The Diezepha village is located at 13 km from Dimapur and can be reached by hiring a taxi or an auto from Dimapur city.
4| Rangapahar Reserve Forest ~ Dimapur ~ Nagaland
The Rangapahar Reserve Forest area near Dimapur is famous for the presence of various plant species that are believed to have medicinal properties. There are also various bird species present in the forest area of this Reserve Forest along with animals species like bears, chitals, deers, wild goats, etc. The entire forest covers an area of around 49 acres with many endangered plants and animals species also present here. The Rangapahar Reserve Forest in Dimapur is an ideal retreat for all nature lovers.
5| Triple Falls ~ Dimapur ~ Nagaland
The Triple Falls is a set of three waterfalls that cascade from a height of around 280 feet into a natural pool giving it a vary pristine an stunning view. The Triple falls is located in the Seithekima village of Dimapur that allows stunning view to the visitors along with an opportunity for trekking into the nearby villages. This waterfall is well maintained by the Dept. of Tourism – Govt. of Nagaland and has become a very popular tourist attraction in Dimapur.
