Agartala - the capital of Tripura

Overview

Tucked in north-eastern part of India, Agartala is the capital of Tripura state. With its strategic location close to the neighbouring country of Bangladesh, Agartala enjoys a special place in India’s political map. A historic place, Agartala rose to prominence in the 19th century, when Maharaja Krishna Manikya declared the city his capital. The magnificent palaces, architectural masterpieces, temples and churches altogether display the rich past of the city. Nature has blessed the charming city with rich and varied flora & fauna, lush hills, picturesque lakes, pleasant atmosphere and unmatched beauty. Agartala is a major commercial centre of the region and serves a major market for rice, tea, oilseed and other ingredients. Agartala is a cultural melting pot of the region and home to people of diverse cultures. Experience the unique culture of the region in the lifestyle of locals including eating habits and dress senses. Fairs and festivals also provide a fine glimpse of the varied culture and traditions. The rich heritage of cane and bamboo handicrafts also adds more charm to the city of Agartala. Get ready for a holiday in Agartala, where many hidden jewells are waiting for you.

Agartala

Fast Facts

Main languages: Bengali is widely spoken and used in Agartala by locals along with Tripuri language ‘Kokborok’. Manipuri, Chakma, Nepali and basic Hindi are also spoken.

When to go: Agartala experiences a moderate climate all round the year that makes it ideal to visit any time. Summers (April to July) are pleasant with maximum temperature touches a high of 35 degree Celsius, while monsoons (July to September) bring heavy rains. Winter season (October to March) is also pleasant with temperature dips to a low of 5 degree Celsius. October to March is the best time to visit Agartala. 

Local Transport: Cycle rickshaws are main mode of local transport in Agartala. Auto-rickshaws locally called ‘tempu’ also ply in specific routes of the city. Buses are also available for long routes and day trips to nearby places. 

Currency: Indian Rupee (INR) 1 USD is approximately 48 INR

Voltage: 230V / 50Hz

Time Zone: Indian Standard Time (UTC +5:30)

Location: North-East India, along the banks of Haora River

Nearest Metropolis: Guwahati - 510 km away, Kolkata – 1680 km away

Eating

Like the normal lifestyle, the cuisine of Agartala is also highly influenced from the Bengali culture. Fish dominates in almost all the meals and served with boiled rice. Despite the strong influence of Bengali cuisine, Tripuri cuisine also flourishes in Agartala. Like Bengali cuisine, fish and rice are the main components of Tripuri cuisine. Locally called as ‘Berma’, the dried ‘puthi’ fish is used as a spice in most of the Tripuri dishes. Bamboo shoots, ginger, green chili and other natural ingredients are also used for the preparation of local dishes. Generally the Tripuri dishes are prepared without the use of oil. Some of the popular Tripuri dishes are Awandru, Bwtwi, Chakhwi, Chakhwtwi, Chatang, Deng, Gudok, Mosodeng, Peng, Rabra, Ser, Sok and Yohk. Many restaurants in Agartala serve traditional Tripuri dishes along with Bengali dishes.

Shopping

If you are a discerning shopper and wish to buy something for yourself or near and dear ones, then Agartala is a perfect place for you. In fact, Agartala is a paradise for avid shoppers and offers a vast collection of traditional handicrafts along with other interesting objects. The forestland of Tripura produces bamboo and wood in large quantity that have been used as the raw material for manufacturing of the handicrafts. Besides these, clay and palm leaves are also used by the local craftsmen for making exquisite artifacts. The bamboo and cane handicrafts of Agartala can be used to decorate the home interiors. Explore the markets of Agartala to buy the bamboo or cane made objects like floor mats, tablemats, room dividers, decorated lampshades, wall panels and furniture (sofa sets, baby chairs garden chairs, tables, morah and apple morah). You may also pick up hand-woven fabrics available in a variety of designs and colors. ‘Travel Agartala’ – a government run shop is a perfect place to buy authentic artifacts at reasonable prices. You may also visit the private shops in the main market area that offer a wide array of items including traditional handicrafts.

Sightseeing

The city of Agartala houses plenty of attractions in its small area that include magnificent palaces, important Hindu and Buddhist temples, massive churches, wonderful museums, picturesque natural lakes, and beautifully managed parks and gardens. Built by Maharaja Radha Kishore Manikya in 1901, Ujjayanta Palace is a two storied building and now operational as the state legislative assembly. Just one km from Ujjayanta Palace is Kunjaban Palace also called Pushbanta Palace, which is perched atop a hillock called ‘Kunjaban’. The palace is now the official residence of Governor of Tripura and houses well laid gardens. The southern side of the garden is named as ‘Rabindra Kanan’ and is open for public. Malancha Niwas is another attraction close to Kunjaban Palace and deserves a visit. After covering the palaces, move towards the temples situated in the Palace Compound. Laxmi Narayan Bari Temple and Durga Bari Temple are the main temples of the Palace Compound. Jagannath Temple, Venuban Vihar, Buddha Mandir and Umamaheswar Temple are other noted temples of Agartala. Next, visit the churches of Agartala such as Agartala Baptist Church and Agartala City Baptist Church. After visiting the temples and churches, visit Tripura Government Museum to see an excellent collection of rare images, sculptures and other interesting objects. Located in the heart of city, Sukanta Academy is a science museum and houses a small planetarium. Puratan Agartala, Tripura University, Maharaja Bir Bikram College, New Capital Complex, Akhaura Checkpost, Nazrul Kalakshetra, Agartala Railway Station and Gedu Miar Masjid are other places of tourist interest in Agartala.

Activities

Usually the visitors to Agartala spend relaxing moments amidst tranquil natural surroundings. However, if you are looking for some leisure options then take a stroll and cover the major spots of the city. With leisurely walks, you can burn extra calories from your body and easily explore the city. Rose Valley Amusement Park is a famous leisure spot in Agartala and thronged by tourists as well as locals in large numbers. You can indulge in a variety of leisure activities in the amusement park. Nehru Park and Children’s Park are also ideal spots to spend relaxing moments with family members and friends. Enjoy boating in the lakes of Agartala along with magnificent view of the surroundings. If you wish to experience some high adrenaline adventure activities, then undertake short to long treks to the hills around Agartala. Wildlife safari in nearby wildlife sanctuaries is also a good leisure option.

Events

Agartala is a happening city and celebrates many festivals round the year that draw a large number of tourists as well as pilgrims. Hindu population predominates in Agartala and most the festivals revolve around Hindu traditions. Agartala is dominated by the Bengalis and Bengali culture flourishes in the city. Like West Bengal, in Agartala too the festival of Durga Puja (October / November) is celebrated at a large scale with great fanfare. Along with Durga Puja, the Bengali culture can also be observed in the celebration of Saraswati Puja. Holi also called ‘Rong Khela’ and Kali Puja (Diwali) are other famous Hindu festival of Agartala. The city of Agartala also has a fair population of the native Tripuri people, who celebrates several regional as well as religious festivals that display rich culture and traditions. Kharchi Festival (July), Garia and Gajan Festival (April), Charak Puja (April), Ashokastami Festival (April), Ratha Jatra (June), Manasa Mangal (August) and Rasha Festival (November) are some of the famous ethnic Tripuri festivals celebrated in Agartala. Eid-ul-Fitr and Christmas are other important religious festivals celebrated in Agartala by Muslims and Christians respectively. The state tourism department organizes several special events in Agartala every year. The year begins with the annual Book Fair in Agartala that provides a good opportunity to buy books at discounted rates. The birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (January 23) is also celebrated at a grand level in Agartala with colourful processions and parades in the morning hours on the streets. Rabindra / Nazrul Jayanti (May) is another important day celebrated in Agartala.  

Nightlife

Nightlife options are not available in Agartala and you have to remain stuck inside your hotel in the nights. But you can make your nights happening by attending special programmes organised across the city. During winters ‘Kirtans’ (special religious musical programmes) are organised at the major spots of the city that go till the early hours of the morning. You can pass the night by attending a Kirtan Party and enjoy the re-mix of the filmi songs in religious themes sung by the chorus. A classical dance form, ‘Raas’ is also performed at Radha Madhav Temple in Agartala each year during the full moon night of the Hindu month ‘Aghrayan’ to mark the love of Lord Krishna for his consort Radha. During the festival, the local artists dressed up in traditional attire dance around the idols of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha all through the night.

Excursions

Agartala itself has plenty of natural and man-made attractions to enthrall the visitors. But a short trip to nearby places increases the excitement of the trip many folds. A calm and serene lake, Damboor Lake is thronged by nature lovers, adventure seekers as well as leisure travelers from Agartala. Damboor Lake offers a wonderful opportunity to indulge in water sports activities along with other entertainment options. Known as the ‘mother of the tribals of Tripura’, Raima Valley is a famous tourist spot and abounds with well laid-out gardens and plantations.  Situated at a distance of 35 km from Agartala, Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary provides shelter to a wide range of wildlife, avian species as well as primates. Spread over an area of 18.5 sq km, the Wildlife Sanctuary has five distinct sections, namely Carnivores Section, Primate Section, Reptile Section, Ungulate Section and Aviary Section. The wildlife sanctuary also has Abasarika and Amrit Sagar lakes that offer boating facilities. Close to Agartala, Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary is another famous wildlife sanctuary and home to interesting animal, plant and birds species. Also pay a visit to Gondacherra Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can completely surrender yourself to unspoiled atmosphere and experience the nature at its best. Explore the wildlife sanctuary and see the animals in their natural habitat. Constructed in 1930 as the summer resort for the King Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, Neermahal or Water Palace (50 km away from Agartala) is an Engineering marvel and presents a fine blend of Hindu and Islamic architectures. Located 175 km from Agartala, Unakoti is known for housing exquisite rock cut carvings and stone images. Although located at a distance of 240 km from Agartala, but Jampui Hill deserves a visit due to treasure trove of a variety of Orchids, oranges and unmatched natural beauty. Jampui Hill is the highest hill range in the state bordering Mizoram. The rock cut carvings and stone images at Deotamura (75), Pilak (100 km) and Unakoti (175) are also considered among must visit places around Agartala.

Getting There

Air: Agartala Airport is connected to Kolkata and Guwahati by daily flight. The airport also has flights from Delhi and Chennai via Kolkata. Auto-rickshaws are available from the airport to various places of the city.

Rail: Agartala Railway Station is linked with a metro gauge line with Assam. Lumding Agartala Express plies everyday between Lumding (a railway station on Guwahati – Dibrugarh route) and Agartala. The train journey between Lumding and Agartala takes around 16 hours. Kumarghat (160 km) and Dharmanagar (200 km) are the nearest railway stations from Agartala. You can hire a taxi from these railway stations that costs about Rs 2500 – 3000.

Road: NH 44 connects Agartala with other parts of Tripura and neighbouring state of Assam and Meghalaya. Direct bus services are available from Guwahati (510 km), Silchar (279 km) and Shillong (475 km) to Agartala.

Driving directions: From Guwahati – drive South on Assam Trunk Road (NH 37) till you reach NH 40. After crossing Shillong and Jaintia Hills proceed onto Agartala – Assam Highway (NH 44) that takes you to Agartala (15 hours, 510 km).

Recommended for:

Agartala is an ideal place for all types of travelers such as singles / couples / friends / single woman / senior travellers and family with children

Top 5 Must See

• Ujjayanta Palace: the palace of erstwhile Tripura Kings and now the state legislative assembly
• Kunjaban Palace: a marvelous monument providing a glimpse of the bygone era
• Jagannath Temple:  a Hindu temple of Vaishnava school of thought
• Tripura State Museum: to see a rich collection of rare artifacts
• Jampui Hill: home to a variety of orchids and oranges