TRIPURA YATRA Location : North-eastern part of India Capital City : Agartala Major Attractions : Ujjayanta Palace, State Museum, Tripura Sundari Temple Mostly Visited For : Tribal Heritage and Trekking

It's The Magic of Warm Hearts, That Makes You Come Again And Again To This Royal Land

A Cordial Greeting By The Tribes of Tripura

Ever thought of enjoying a dream holiday in an Indian heart enclaved by foreign hands. A state which springs the misty mornings with sprinkles of Vedanta and prepares for another dawn with the euphony of ‘azaan’ from Bangladesh, a country that is juxtaposed with India with a unbreakable string that is only 5 km long from the capital. Increasing the brightness of this picturesque state tucked away in the hills of northeast, Tripura offers an exotic range of backdrops for photography, bubbling rivers for ablution of your weary souls and vicious wildlife species that rules the silence of the shadows amidst deep forests of this state. Fringed by majestic hills and manicured greens, this erstwhile Hindu princely state however remains predominantly tribal. That is another enchantment, isn’t it? And to add colours to your winter holidays, the whole state adorns a mind-blowing aroma during the famous Orange Festival, that affords hundreds of exquisite oranges to be messed with. Do you need more reasons to visit Tripura? If yes, come on in, you will get many...

Agartala - Nestling on A Royal Enigma

The Colossal Ujjayanta Palace Singing Melody of Yore

Agartala is a laid back place reminiscent of quaint towns of Bangladesh. Embellished with heritage monuments that recite the annals of time, Agartala is an ideal base to explore Tripura. Colonial brick bungalows surrounded by bougainvillea hedges and bright cannas, golden laburnum trees lining the streets give Agartala's outskirts an attractive appearance. Remember to leave your footprints inside the magical Ujjayanta Palace situated in the heart of the town. Built by the ruling king in 1901, the palace, similar to Kolkata's Victoria Memorial, now shares its space with the State Assembly. From the Palace itself you can see the stately orange ‘shikhara’ (tower) of the 19th century Jagannath Temple. Nestling beside the azure waters of a lake, the four-storeyed tower is indeed an amazing art to behold. Visit the State Museum nestling in the heart of town. The humoungous museum preserves some rare images, epigraphs and memorabilia which throw a curious light on the royal past of Tripura and some adjoining states.

Climb The Hilly Temptations

A Man Gathering Local Vegetation In The Forest of Tripura

If you are interested in Hindu ‘tantra’, bow your head at the sacred shrine of Tripura Sundari. Situated in ancient Udaipur on the the Dhanisagar hillock, the temple is believed to be one of the holiest Hindu shrines in this part of the country. The Tripura Sundari Temple is considered as one of the 52 Shakti Peethas in Hindu mythology, and is flanked by red-robed priests and occult practitioners from all over the country. The temple architecture in itself is an amazement to many tourists. Built in a design that fetches everyone to the bygone rural huts of West Bengal, the temple will actually take you to a divine tour of the virgin 16th century villages of Bengal. Constructed by by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya Dev Varma in 1501 A.D., the temple premise houses two identical images of the same deity inside the temple named ‘Chhotima’, one is around 2 feet in height and the other about 5 feet in height. Spend a holiday afternoon with the wild creatures of Sipahijala, a lush green botanical garden housing a small zoo. Stay in ‘Abasarika’, the forest bunglaow to get the real forest pleasure.

The charm of meeting the natives is unsurpassable. The tribals, with a rich and varied culture, belong mainly to the Reang, Chakma, Halam and Usai communities. Music and dance are an integral part of their lives. 'Garia' dances held for the prosperity of the people; dances of the Reang community; 'Bizu' dances by the Chakmas denoting the end of the Bengali calendar year; 'Hai Hak' dances of the Halams and the Cheraw dance associated with the confinement of Lusai woman, are examples. No doubt, they have dances for every season and reason. Enjoy watching the famous 'Basanta Raas', a charming dance of the Hindu Manipuris, in Tripura.

Drive Your Way

A Tribal Man Creating Magic Out of Cane

It is a pleasure to fly above the postcard terrain of Tripura. The airport is 5 km from the city centre and is well connected to Guwahati (40 min) and Kolkata (50 min). Kumarghat on North East Frontier is connected to Guwahati via Lumding, but unfortunately is 140 km from the downtown. NH 54 originates at Agartala and goes northeast across Tripura into Assam, enters Meghalaya and joins NH 40 near Shillong (499 km). Fortunately, Agartala is also linked to Dhaka and the journey can be covered in just 6 hours.