Asm: অভয়াপুৰী abhaẏāpuri
‘Ahhayeswari’s City’ -Town, Assam
From Abhayeswari and Skt: puri, ‘fort’, ‘city.
Abhayapuri was the third capital of the ancient Bijni Kingdom founded by Bijit Narayan (Chandra Narayan) in the 17thC.
Abhayeswari Devi was the queen at the time the capital was shifted from Dumuria following an earthquake in 1897. The new capital was named after her.
The Lalmati-Duramari Ganesh Mandir archaeological site was first excavated in 1974, uncovering a ruined temple with numetous stone carvings, religious images and idols. It is likely that earthquakes in the 8th-10thC or thereabouts destroyed the temple. Others suggest it may have been destroyed by rebels or invaders.
Ruins of Ganesh Mandir, Abhayapuri – অজয় দাস
