Tripura Tourism

Tripura was ruled by the Manikya dynasty for more than five centuries, and their form of life and politics has a great influence on the culture of the state even today. The Manikya dynasty has patronised many great musicians and artists like Rabindranath Tagore and S.D. Burman who later popularised their brand of literature and music throughout the country. It was under this dynasty that a harmonious mixture of Bengali culture from mainland India and tribal culture from the mountains of Tripura was brought about. Today, the influence of Christianity in the state is also due to the patronage of this royal family. The legacy of this dynasty is visible even today in the form of beautiful castles and forts like the Ujjayanta Palace and Neermahal located which is close to the Manikya capital of Old Agartala.

Festivities form a crucial part in the life of the people of Tripura, and they are incomplete unless accompanied by a corresponding dance to suit the festival. This has given rise to many dances performed by various tribes of Tripura, and they are a perfect blend of tribal and non-tribal cultural practices. The Garia dance is performed during the Garia festival to pray for the success of Jhum cultivation, Hozagiri dance of the Reang community, Bihu dance of the Chakma community and Hai Hak dance of the Halam community are other popular dance forms that tourists can get a glimpse of in this state. The most distinctive dance is the Lebang Boomani Dance that is performed at the advent of the Lebang insect that visits the hill slopes of Tripura. The men dance with bamboo sticks in their hand that makes an unusual sound while women try to catch hold of the Lebang insect. All these dances are related to stages in agriculture that still forms the main occupation of the people of Tripura.

The unexplored state of Tripura holds many natural wonders that are waiting to be discovered. Because it is not yet a popular tourist destination, the forests are pristine and untouched by human interference. The unique geography and climate have given rise to lush forests unlike any in India. Many rare and endemic species of animals and plants are found in the state. The Phayre's Langur and Green Imperial Pigeon are two such rare animals that have been designated as the state animal and bird respectively. Many protected areas in the state like Gomati, Rowa and Trishna wildlife sanctuaries, as well as eco-parks, have been developed especially for tourists to enjoy, and are places that should feature on every visitor's list.

Agartala, the capital of the state, is the most visited tourist destination in the state. While Agartala is more modernised and commercialised than other regions in the area, it is still mostly reminiscent of its past, as seen from the vast variety of tribes still living in the town. Agartala has a lot of temples and palaces dotting its premises, the most famous of which include the Jagannath Temple and the Neermahal Palace.

The Jagannath Temple

The Jagannath Temple (colloquially referred to as the Jagannath Bari), is one of the most beautiful temples in the entire state and is a magnificently designed temple which houses different idols depicting various incidents from mythology. The temple comprises of a big pond where you can feed fish if you want, and the banks of the pond are beautifully decorated with statues of Arjuna and Lord Krishna, depicting specific scenes from the Mahabharata.

Neermahal Palace

The other main attraction in Agartala that you shouldn?t miss out on is the Neermahal Palace, which is a palace located in the middle of Rudrasagar Lake. You can visit the palace via a boat ride, and with over 24 rooms spread across the perimeters of the castle, along with a sprawling open garden, you can easily spend an entire afternoon strolling about the magnificently designed palace.

Another major tourist destination in Tripura is Udaipur, which is home to many important historic temples such as the Tripura Sundari Devi Temple, the Bhubaneshwari Temple, as well as other attractions such as the Sepahijola Wildlife Sanctuary and the Tepania Eco-Park. The Sepahijola Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the four most important wildlife sanctuaries and reserves in the state and is home to over 150 different species of birds, including quite a few rare migratory birds as well.

The people of Tripura are mostly tribal and the largest tribe, the Tripuris, live in the west. Chakma, Halam and Usai are some other tribes while sizeable numbers of Reangs and Jamatias live in the north and south respectively. The most commonly spoken languages here are Kak-Barak and various dialects of the Tripuri language. Bengali is also a widely spoken language, and it is also the official language as a significant part of the population is of Bengali people. Hinduism is the dominant religion in Tripura while there are practitioners of Islam and Christianity as well. Despite this diversity, all festivals are celebrated with equal fanfare and gaiety. Music and dance are integral parts of the life of the people in the state, and the Garia dance of the Garia tribe and the Hozagiri dance of the Reang tribe are a celebration of prosperity. Basanta Raas of the Manipuris is also another charming dance form. Like other north-eastern states, Tripura too is rich in art and culture and is famous for its cane and bamboo products. Almost all the festivals of the country are celebrated in Tripura.

How Tripura got its name is a matter of debate, and mythological and historical evidence sometimes clashes in this regard. However, the modern history of this state has been very well documented. The boundaries of this state have been in constant flux, and at different times, it has been under the control of Mughal and other Islamic rulers who ruled from Delhi. However, the kingdom has always retained a measure of autonomy even under the British because of its inaccessible terrain and kings ruling foreign powers have directly deposed Tripura.

Some parts of the kingdom were lost to East Pakistan during partition, and this led to the geographical isolation of the region. More recently, there has been resentment in the state over the influx of Bangladeshi refugees and their distorting effect on the culture of the state. Today, the insurgency in the state has been contained, and the government is taking efforts to promote tourism as a vital source of revenue for the state.

The North-eastern state of Tripura is a landlocked Indian state surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides and by Assam and Mizoram on the Indian side. The terrain is mainly hilly, but there are also plateaus and flatlands because of the rivers that form the delta of the Brahmaputra. The state has ten major rivers, all of which later join the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin and drain into the Bay of Bengal. Because of the large river basin, this state has an abundance of forests and wildlife. However, deforestation is taking its toll on the natural habitat. Agartala is the capital of the state and Trishna, Komalsagar, Belonia and Dharmanagar are other important cities.