Agartala – the Only City of Tripura Epitomizes India of Yore

“Agartala” – the name derives from two words, Agar – which stands for a kind of perfume and Tala – which means a store house. The name was coined because “Agaru” – a type of scented tree was plenty in this region. The legend goes that the great king Raghu had once tied up his elephant’s feet with an Agaru tree on the banks of river Lauhitya and the place had got its name from that incident.

This is the capital city of Tripura, the southern state of North-East India, and is the second largest in this region after Guwahati in terms of area and population. A sprawling city that lies on the bank of river Haora and just 2 km away from Bangladesh, Agartala is governed by a Municipal Council. With the restructuring of the Municipal Council of Agartala, the only city of Tripura, in 2013 the population of the city stands approximately at 4, 38, 408, mostly Bengalis. Arguably, this city houses the most diversified population of India in a semi-rural social-fabric and can be compared with an India of yore. The city boasts of several tourist attractions which have historical significance.

Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala

From the archaeological excavations and the mythological anecdotes it is evident that the state of Tripura has got a long glorious past. With early references in our epics like the Mahabharata, the heritage and historical significance of Agartala, as well as Tripura, can be easily gauged. Although a clear chronology of the rulers of the land was not documented in our history books, it is said that Tripura was ruled by as many as 179 Hindu kings, starting from the mythological King Druhya to the last Emperor Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya. In 1760, Maharaja Krishna Chandra Manikya Bahadur had shifted the capital from Udaipur to Old Agartala. That’s a brief piece of history of this wonderful land.

The famous Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore had visited this city on many occasions and also had a house built here, which is one of Agartala’s many tourist attractions.

The doyens of Indian Music Late S.D. Burman and Late R.D. Burman also had their roots established here.

If you have penchant for adventure, history and scenic locales, you should visit this place once in your lifetime. The place is well connected by rail, road and air. One can reach here easily from Guwahati or Kolkata. The climate of the state is conducive for tourists during non-monsoon months, although rainfall is sporadic all throughout the year. It is generally hot and humid from April to October.

Agartala connects well with Udaipur, Neermahal, Unakoti, Pilak, Tripura Sundari Temple (One of Goddess Sati’s 51 peethasthans), Bhuvaneswari Temple, Sepahijala, Trishna Wild life Sanctuary, Rudrasagar Lake, Dumboor Lake and lots of other tourist places in Tripura. You should also check in Ujjayanta Place, Kunjaban Palace, Malancha Niwas (Kabiguru Rabindranath’s abode) and other attractive hotspots within the city limits.

There are a range of budget and luxury hotels in Agartala, so one need not be bothered about a comfortable stay in this land of ancient rulers. The Government of Tripura is always forthcoming to welcome you as their guest. You may keep this option open too.