Tripura

Assam Cities :- Tripura

Description
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.

Agartala is a city that is filled with people of diverse cultures and backgrounds this due to the fact that the state is completely surrounded by diffrent states and Agartala itself is situated just a couple of miles from Bangladesh.

Agartala offers some outstandingly beautiful palaces, gardens, hills, temples and lakes. Perfection is the word for the architectural monuments that grace this city. The red government buildings are in contrast against the remarkably usually white old British buildings that are still in existence and in use.

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.

Best time to visit
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.

How To Get There
By Air: Agartala is well connected by airlines flights with Calcutta, Guwahati, Delhi.

By Rail: The two nearest railway stations are Kumarghat (160 kms) and Dharama Nagar (200 kms). Both the stations on the North-East Frontier Railway, connectedby 203/204 Tripura Passanger with Lumding & Guwahati, where as Lumding and Guwahati are connected with Calcutta and other major stations in India.

By Road: Good motorable roads connect Agartala with Silchar- 288 kms, Guwahati- 599 kms, Shillong- 499 kms, Dharmanagar- 200 kms.

Attractions
Ujjayanta Palace
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.

Kunjaban Palace
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.

Neermahal
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.
Near this capital city, there are a few places known for the rock cuts and carvings. These include Debtamura (75km away from Agartala), Unakoti (about 178 km from Agartala) and Pilak (about 100 km from Agartala).

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 is held 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 Mahadev temple and Tripura Sundari temple. Also nearby Agartala are the Sepajhila wildlife sanctuary and Krishna wildlife sanctuary. Dumboor, a locale of abundant natural gaiety, 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.

Excursions
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 is held 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 Mahadev temple and Tripura Sundari temple. Also nearby Agartala are the Sepajhila wildlife sanctuary and Krishna wildlife sanctuary. Dumboor, a locale of abundant natural gaiety, 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.