Tripura

The tiny pricely state of tripura is ideally located at the hilltop of northeastern India, pregnant with its rich heritage and ethnicity.Surrounded by bangladesh on three sides, the lush green mountains and valleys of Tripura has attracted many different peoples over the centuries.

It is the place where history still whispers the long drawn past of the "Manikya Dynasty". Guarded by the pea green brilliance of nature, Tripura shares her domestic borders with Mizoram , Assam and Bangladesh. The pulsating beat of the tribal dance wounding the silence of the night, the majestic peaks, the secret haunts of river offers Tripura an unmatched enigma which has attracted tourists since time immemorial. Tripura, the emerald quaint hilly land laced with ancient folklores and myths have also curved out a niche for its delicate handicraft items. Tripura covers an area of 10,486 sq km and its capital is Agartala.

There are many theories regarding the origin of name of Tripura. It is said that the word `Tripura` is attributed with the name of the legendary despot king of Tripura, Tripur. He was the 39th descendent of one of the lunar race kings, Druhya. Another theory says that the word Tripura originated from the name of the presiding deity of the land, Tripura Sundari. According to another school of thought, the name Tripura was attributed to the State in honor of the Temple at Udaipur, where the major deity is Tripereshwari, Lord Shiva`s wife. According to one of the major historians, Kailash Singha , the word Tripura is derived from 2 words `twi` and `pra`. Twi means water and pra means near. Therefore the word means ` near water`.

Main attraction of Tripura:

Agartala:

The city is the capital of the state. Ujjayanta Palace, which is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Tripura, is located in the city. The royal residence of the Manikya Kings of Tripura showcases huge Mughal style gardens, magnificent tile floor, beautiful ceilings and doors of curved wood.

The city is also home to State Museum, Tribal Museum, a number of temples and Buddhist sites.

Unakoti:

This is a place where you would find numerous rock carvings, murals with their primitive beauty. The carvings trace their origin in Hindu mythology. Green vegetation around adds to the charm of the place.

Kunjaban Palace:

About 1km north of the Ujjayanta Palace, the Manikyas built here another royal palace, which bears an association with Tagore, the Nobel laureate poet. Perched on a green hillock, the scenic locality inspired him to compose a number of songs here.

How to reach Tripura:

The domestic airport of Tripura is located in Agartala, the main capital city of the state. The airport is cool and calm in nature as it serves airlines to Guwahati and Kolkata only.

One can take a flight to Guwahati, thereafter to Agartala. The airport serves Indian airlines daily to Kolkata and thrice a week to Guwahati. It is well-connected with the main places of the state. Private cars and taxis are accessible here.