2019 – Posted in: STATE SERIES

TRIPURA

Tripura is a state in North-East India. Tripura is the 2nd most populous state in the North Eastern Region. It shares borders with Bangladesh, Mizoram and Assam. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on its north, south and west.

The state is connected with the rest of India by NH-44 that runs through Assam, Meghalaya, North Bengal, Kolkata and other parts of India.

Capital	Agartala
Date of Formation	October 15, 1949 (merged with Indian Union) January 26, 1950 (accorded the ‘C’ category state) November 01, 1956 (recognized as Union Territory) January 21, 1972 (Gained full statehood)
No. of Districts	08
Official Languages	Bengali, Kokborok and English
Other Languages	Mogh, Chakma, Halam, Garo, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Manipuri, Hindi, Oriya etc.
State Animal	Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei)
State Bird	Green Imperial Pigeon (Ducula aenea)
State Tree	Agar (Aquilaria malaccensis)
State Flower	Nageswar (Mesua Ferrea)
Art & Culture	Hoza Giri dance of the Reang tribesmen, Manasa Mangal or Kirtan, Garia dance, Dhamail dance, Kabi Gaan
Fairs and Festivals	Garia, Durga Puja, Buddha Purnima, Kharchi, Pous Sankranti, Bijhu or Christmas
Place of interest	Tripura State Museum, Kunjaban Palace, Malancha Niwas, Tripura Heritage Park, Tripura Sundari Temple, Pilak – in Jolaibari – South Tripura, Unakoti, Fourteen Goddess Temple, Bhuvaneswari Temple, Neermahal, Jampui Hills, Sepahijala, Trishna Wild Life Sanctuary, Kamalasagar, Deotamura, Dumboor Lake
Rivers	Gomti, Khowai, Howrah, Longai, Dhalai, Muhuri, Feni, Manu, Burima
Forests and Wildlife sanctuaries	Shepahijala WS, Trishna WS, Rowa WS, Clouded Leopard NP
Major crops	Paddy, Wheat, Sugarcane, Potato
Tribes	Bhil, Bhutia, Riang, Santal, Uchai, Orang, Noatia, Kuki, Khasia, Jamatia, Garoo, Chakma

History

The former princely state of Tripura was ruled by Maharajas of Manikya dynasty.

It was an independent administrative unit under the Maharaja even during the British rule in India, though this independence was qualified, being subject to the recognition of the British, as the paramount power of each successive ruler.

Festivals

Garia: It is one of the major festivals of Tripuris and some other Kakborok speaking communities. Celebrated in the month of April it symbolizes devotion and prosperity. Garia is said to be the deity of benevolent spirit of household.

Buddha Purnima: Buddhist people celebrate this occasion to mark the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha. It falls in the month of April.

Kharchi: This festival has still linked the past with the present. It is said that this festival or puja was commenced by the royal family of Tripura when the capital of princely Tripura was at Old Agartala.

Tirthamukh Mela: On the occasion of Poush Sankranti a grand fair is held at Tirthamukh. Both tribals and non-tribals assemble there for paying holy tribute to their ancestors.

Bijhu: Bijhu is the biggest festival of the Chakma tribe. Beginning on the last day of Chaitra of Bengali calendar year this festival goes on for three days. Prayer to Lord Buddha, lot of festive eating, music, dance, games and sports – all these become main activities during this festival.

Owa: This festival is celebrated by the Mog community on the full moon day of Ashwin of Bengali calendar year. Men and women go to the Buddhist temple during the day and in the evening they release paper and toy boats in the river.

Folk Dance

Hozagiri dance of Reang community, Garia, Jhum, Maimita, Masak Sumani and Lebang boomani dances of Tripuri community, Bijhu dance of Chakma community, Cheraw and Welcome dances of Lusai community Hai-Hak dance of Malsum community, Wangala dance of Garo Community, Sangraiaka, Chimithang, Padisha and Abhangma dances of Mog community, Garia dances of Kalai and Jamatia communities, Gajan, Dhamail Sari and Rabindra dances of Bengali community and Basanta Rash and Pung chalam dances of Manipuri community. Each community has its own traditional musical instruments. To name a few are – ‘Khamb ( Drum)’, Bamboo flute, ‘Lebang,’, ‘Sarinda’, ‘Do- Tara’, and ‘Khengrong’, etc.

Tourism

Tripura offers plenty of attractions for the tourists in the form of magnificent palaces (Ujjayanta Palace and Kunjaban Palace at Agartala and Neermahal – Lake Palace at Melaghar ), splendid rock-cut carvings and stone images ( Unakoti near Kailashahar, Debtamura near Amarpur and Pilak in Belonia Sub-divisions ), important temples of Hindus and Buddhists including the famous Mata Tripureswari temple ( one of the 51 Pithasthans as per Hindu mythology ) at Udaipur, vast natural as well as artificial lakes namely Dumboor lake in Gandacherra subdivision, Rudrasagar at Melaghar, Amarsagar,Jagannath Dighi, Kalyan Sagar, etc. at Udaipur, the beautiful hill station of Jampui hill bordering Mizoram, wild life sanctuaries at Sepahijala, Gumti, Rowa and Trishna.

Facts

Singers are usually accompanied by instruments like the sarinda, chongpreng, bamboo flute or sumui.
Lake Rudrsagar is the only lake in eastern India with a palace in it; Neermahal was built by Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur as a summer resort.

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