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Agartala
Population : 175,500
Languages : Bengali
Best time to visit : October to March
STD Code : 0381
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.
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.
Places of Interest
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.
SITES NEARBY
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.
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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