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FACTS &
FIGURES
Population : 175,500
Languages : Bengali
Best time to visit : October to March
STD Code : 0381
A CULTURAL PANORAMA
The capital town of the eastern state of Tripura, Agartala,
is a mini storehouse of rich cultural diversity. This
is due to the city's physical proximity with the Indo-Bangladesh
border, which is just 2 km away. Agartala moved to its
present location in 1850, under the regime of the then
king, Maharaja Radha Krishna Kishore Manikya Bahadur
and is known for its twin modern palaces, Ujjayanta
and Kunjaban.
LOCATION
Agartala is located in the western part
of Tripura, astride the Haroa River. It is 1680 km from
Calcutta and 599 km from Guwahati. National Highway
No. 44 connects Agartala to Guwahati via Shillong. It
takes about 24 hours by road from Guwahati to reach
Agartala. The journey time by road between Dhaka and
Agartala is approximately 3 hours.
VISITING TIME
The best time to visit Agartala is between
October and April. Towards the extremes of this period,
one might experience a few showers, but these are quite
refreshing. The town is known for its cultural and historical
worth, and one can easily notice bright bamboo and cloth
umbrellas over ponds. Such parasols are part of the
tribal customs of grandsons commemorating the deaths
of their grandfathers on their anniversaries.
THE PAST
Agartala was once part of a Hindu kingdom,
until the state was taken over by the Mughals in 1733.
The British took over the reigns of governance in 1808
and Tripura was a princely state until 1956, when it
became a Union Territory. When Tripura gained statehood
in 1972, Agartala became the state capital.
TOURIST SPOTS
The major interest of the town is Ujjayanta
Palace, which was built in the Indo-Saracenic style
in 1901 by Maharaja Radhakishore Manikya. It is a two-storeyed
mansion, with 28 hectares of parkland, and now houses
the office of the State Legislative Assembly. In the
grounds, there are two temples-Umanneshwar and Jagganath-both
of which are ochre in color.
Another important attraction is the Kunjaban Palace.
It was built in 1917 by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya.
It is located about 1km away from the Ujjayanta Palace
on a hillock. It was originally called Pushbanta Palace.
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore is reputed to have stayed
in the eastern part of the Palace, which is now called
Malancha Niwas. The Palace is now the official residence
of the Governor of Tripura. The southern part of the
Palace is open to the public and has been named as Rabindra
Kanan.
Situated about 55km away from Agartala is Neermahal,
Tripura's major tourist attraction. It is a summer resort
built in 1930 by the late Maharaja Birbikram Kishore
Manikya Bahadur. It is built in the middle of a lake
named Rudrasagar, with a total area of about 5.35 sq.km.
It is the only lake palace in Eastern India and has
been built in a mixture of Hindu and Mughal styles.
SITES NEARBY
Near this capital city, there are a
few places known for the rock cuts and carvings. These
include Debtamura, Unakoti and Pilak.
Debtamura is situated at 75km away from Agartala, on
the banks of the river Gomati, between Udaipur and Amarpur.
The rocks on the banks are also called Chabimura. These
are carved with images Hindu Gods like Shiva, Vishnu,
Kartik, Mahisasur, Mardini Durga and other deities.
These images date back to the 15th and 16th Century.
Unakoti is located at a distance of about 178 km from
Agartala and is a pilgrimage site for Shiva worship.
It dates back to the 8th and 9th century. It is surrounded
by waterfalls on all sides. In the center is a 30-feet-high
statue of Lord Shiva who is called Unakotishwara Kal
Bhairava. The main attraction of this place is the Ashokasthami
festival, held every year in the month of April.
Pilak is located at a distance of about 100 km from
Agartala and is famous for its carvings in stone and
terracotta plaques. These belong to the 8th and 9th
century and are spread within an area of 10 sq. km.
There are mammoth stone images of Narasimha and Avlokiteshwara
to be seen here.
An important pilgrimage point for the Hindus is the
Mata Tripureshwari Temple, which is among the 51 pitha
stalas according to the Hindu mythology. It is situated
at a distance of 58 km from Agaratala. It houses the
statue of Goddess Kali. Since it is in the form of a
tortoise, it is also called the Kurma Pith.
At a distance of about 14 km from Agartala is located
the Chaturdas Devta Bari Temple. The famous tribal festival
of Karachi is a major attraction of this temple and
isheld in the month of July annually.
Maa Bhubaneshwari Temple was built on the right banks
of the Gomti River by Maharaja Govinda Manikya in the
17th century. The Buddha Vihar on Airport Road is in
the North of the city and houses the Burmese statues
of Lord Buddha. Other important temples of Agartala
are Lakshmi Narayan temple, Jagannath temple, Uma Maheshwari
temple, and Durga temple
Jampui Hills are located at a distance of about 200
km from Agartala and is famous as the land of the permanent
spring. It is at a range of about 300 ft above sea level.
The place is known for its natural splendor and serene
atmosphere.Located 55 km south is the city of lakes,
Udaipur, which is known for its Mahadevtemple and Tripura
Sundari temple. Also nearby Agartala are the Sepajhila
wildlife sanctuary and Krishna wildlife sanctuary. Dumboor,
a locale of abundant naturalgaiety, is 100 km from Agartala
and is famous for its lake and Sankranti Mela held in
January. In the vicinity, one can find the temple of
Lake Kamlasagar.
FESTIVALS
The Durga Puja season is generally the
busiest time of the year and one can then experience
the richness of Indian cultural extravaganza. Agartala
is also known for its tribal festivals like Karachi,
and Garia Puja.
HOW TO REACH
Indian Airlines has daily flights to/from
Calcutta and three flights per week from Guwahati. The
Airport is 12 km to the north and leads on to Agartala
via the Ujjyanta Palace. The main shopping street is
HGB Road where one can find the much-acclaimed State
Museum, State Bank of India, and the main Post Office.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel facilities in Agartala are basic, with a few
providing for air-conditioned rooms.
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