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| Ujjayanta Palace Entrance |
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| Ujjayanta Palace |
"Is this the famous Lake Palace of India?", asks Jenny from Australia while waiting for a boat to take us to the Neermahal Palace, an imposing edifice set in the middle of a tranquil lake in Tripura where we have arrived to attend the International Tourism Mart focused on enhancing tourism to the North Eastern part of the country.
It's not unusual for first-time visitors to get confused with the much-hyped Lake Palace in Udaipur in Rajasthan, both built by former Maharajas to beat the summer heat. I have seen only images of the other one, but when I see it in front, this glistening white royal residence, crowned with several Mughal-style domes and standing on red-brick foundations, I find it to be exceptionally beautiful and eye-catching. Its reflections on the greyish lake water, sprinkled with pink water lilies amidst green foliage, create a magical scene for me that I, like other onlookers, try to capture with my camera.
This 20th-century-built regal abode, located approximately 50-odd kilometres away from the capital, Agartala, is a highlight of tiny Tripura - one of India's 29 states, tucked in the Northwestern frontier of the nation.
At first sight, Tripura appears to be different from the rest of India, with the typical crowd, chaos and cacophony missing. It's predominantly a hilly, landlocked region decorated with lush green valleys, rivers and streams, spreading lakes and pristine forests. Calmness and tranquillity – a rare commodity in vibrant India – can still be sensed there. Often referred to as 'Daughter of Mother Nature', the grace and grandeur of Tripura's lush green landscape are heightened by its rich human resources, reflected in the ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity of the population, which currently accounts for less than 3% of India's total population of 1.34 billion.
As a tourism destination, Tripura finds it challenging to compete with big brothers Rajasthan, Kerala or even Goa, but the state has many attractions to lure visitors for a few days. Besides its splendid nature, the 10,000-plus square km land offers varied sites, from royal relics and stimulating rock art to numerous Hindu temples and rich craft and culture, to trigger any traveller's quest for discovery.
According to historical records, Tripura experienced its golden era under the Manikya dynasty, which ruled for nearly 500 years until it joined the independent Indian Union in 1949. Their leftovers are always ranked at the top of any visitor's itinerary. Besides the Neermahal Palace, the other site of great significance is the Ujjayanta Palace in the heart of Agartala city.
Placed inside a manicured Mughal-style garden on the banks of a small lake, the Ujjayanta Palace has a similar look to the famous Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, particularly when noting its white fascia and neoclassical design, which was very widespread during the early 20th century. Martin & Burn, a reputed Indo British company of the time built this palace. While immersed in awe, it makes everyone think why such an iconic structure remains unnoticed by the architectural buffs in India and abroad. There perhaps can't be any other reason other than lack of promotion. Today this palace, which once housed the royal family, is home to their belongings. It's the State Museum displaying memorabilia that proclaim past glory
Religious tourism is big in Tripura; the region being is a treasure trove of Hindu and Buddhist faith. The archaeological ruins around Unakoti, Pilak and Devtamura, located 170 km away from the capital, display gigantic rock-cut carvings and stone images Shiva, Vishnu and other Hindu gods and Buddhist creeds. Experts believe them to be over a thousand years old, saying how talented the local civilisation was during the heyday. There are many Hindu temples throughout the state – most significant is that of Tripura Sundari – a version of Goddess Kali. Its located in Udaipur, 56 km from Agartala where, as per Hindu mythology, one of the 51 body pieces of Mata Sati fell, thus becoming a 'pith' or a revered holy site. No visit to Tripura is complete without paying a tribute at this pious junction.
Similarly, it will be a big miss if anyone leaves Tripura without seeing the spectacled monkeys a rare and endangered species, Tripura and some other parts of North-East India being their stronghold. Luck permitting they can be spotted in the wild. Otherwise, Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, 28 km outside the capital boundary, is the place to meet them. This 18 square km forest is a zoo where the star attraction is these rare types of langurs, who have white circles around their eyes as if wearing glasses. Their fashionable sights are surely a bonus of any Tripura odyssey.
Tripura is very close to neighbouring Bangladesh, sharing over 850 km of land boundary with a border check-post merely a few km away from Agartala, where a military show has become Tripura's newest tourist drawcard around sunset time. This pageant is similar to the famous 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony at the India-Pakistan border at Wagah in northern India, but obviously of much lesser grandeur. Still, it's worth watching the pomp, which involves trumpet blowing, uniformed guards marching, and then, at sunset, lowering the nation's flags. Efforts are now being made by both governments, India and Bangladesh, to turn this into a major tourist attraction on both sides, which is hoped to draw more tourist attention from both domestic and international markets soon.
When leaving Tripura, most visitors find it to be one of India's best-kept secrets and wonder why it remains an off-the-beaten-path tourist destination. Surely, the destination has a good resume. Still, it needs to be polished by the state and national tourism agencies to make it more attractive for travellers within India and overseas.
Fact File
Getting there – Singapore Airlines www.singaporeairlines.com from Australia to Kolkata, from where there are regular flights to Agartala.
Accommodation – Modest accommodations at private hotels and government guesthouses are available, with the Agartala Ginger Hotel (www.gingerhotels.com) being the most popular.
Local Tour Managers– Koyeli Tours & Travel www.koyelitravels.in and Avani Travel Services www.avanitravels.com are two of the regions reputed ground operators.
More Info - Tripura Tourism www.tripuratourism.gov.in
Words: Sandip Hor
images: Sandip Hor and supplied
Feature supplied by: www.wtfmedia.com.au
It's not unusual for first-time visitors to get confused with the much-hyped Lake Palace in Udaipur in Rajasthan, both built by former Maharajas to beat the summer heat. I have seen only images of the other one, but when I see it in front, this glistening white royal residence, crowned with several Mughal-style domes and standing on red-brick foundations, I find it to be exceptionally beautiful and eye-catching. Its reflections on the greyish lake water, sprinkled with pink water lilies amidst green foliage, create a magical scene for me that I, like other onlookers, try to capture with my camera.
This 20th-century-built regal abode, located approximately 50-odd kilometres away from the capital, Agartala, is a highlight of tiny Tripura - one of India's 29 states, tucked in the Northwestern frontier of the nation.
At first sight, Tripura appears to be different from the rest of India, with the typical crowd, chaos and cacophony missing. It's predominantly a hilly, landlocked region decorated with lush green valleys, rivers and streams, spreading lakes and pristine forests. Calmness and tranquillity – a rare commodity in vibrant India – can still be sensed there. Often referred to as 'Daughter of Mother Nature', the grace and grandeur of Tripura's lush green landscape are heightened by its rich human resources, reflected in the ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity of the population, which currently accounts for less than 3% of India's total population of 1.34 billion.
As a tourism destination, Tripura finds it challenging to compete with big brothers Rajasthan, Kerala or even Goa, but the state has many attractions to lure visitors for a few days. Besides its splendid nature, the 10,000-plus square km land offers varied sites, from royal relics and stimulating rock art to numerous Hindu temples and rich craft and culture, to trigger any traveller's quest for discovery.
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| Tripura Sundari Termple |
Placed inside a manicured Mughal-style garden on the banks of a small lake, the Ujjayanta Palace has a similar look to the famous Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, particularly when noting its white fascia and neoclassical design, which was very widespread during the early 20th century. Martin & Burn, a reputed Indo British company of the time built this palace. While immersed in awe, it makes everyone think why such an iconic structure remains unnoticed by the architectural buffs in India and abroad. There perhaps can't be any other reason other than lack of promotion. Today this palace, which once housed the royal family, is home to their belongings. It's the State Museum displaying memorabilia that proclaim past glory
Religious tourism is big in Tripura; the region being is a treasure trove of Hindu and Buddhist faith. The archaeological ruins around Unakoti, Pilak and Devtamura, located 170 km away from the capital, display gigantic rock-cut carvings and stone images Shiva, Vishnu and other Hindu gods and Buddhist creeds. Experts believe them to be over a thousand years old, saying how talented the local civilisation was during the heyday. There are many Hindu temples throughout the state – most significant is that of Tripura Sundari – a version of Goddess Kali. Its located in Udaipur, 56 km from Agartala where, as per Hindu mythology, one of the 51 body pieces of Mata Sati fell, thus becoming a 'pith' or a revered holy site. No visit to Tripura is complete without paying a tribute at this pious junction.
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| Temple City Agartala |
Similarly, it will be a big miss if anyone leaves Tripura without seeing the spectacled monkeys a rare and endangered species, Tripura and some other parts of North-East India being their stronghold. Luck permitting they can be spotted in the wild. Otherwise, Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, 28 km outside the capital boundary, is the place to meet them. This 18 square km forest is a zoo where the star attraction is these rare types of langurs, who have white circles around their eyes as if wearing glasses. Their fashionable sights are surely a bonus of any Tripura odyssey.
Tripura is very close to neighbouring Bangladesh, sharing over 850 km of land boundary with a border check-post merely a few km away from Agartala, where a military show has become Tripura's newest tourist drawcard around sunset time. This pageant is similar to the famous 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony at the India-Pakistan border at Wagah in northern India, but obviously of much lesser grandeur. Still, it's worth watching the pomp, which involves trumpet blowing, uniformed guards marching, and then, at sunset, lowering the nation's flags. Efforts are now being made by both governments, India and Bangladesh, to turn this into a major tourist attraction on both sides, which is hoped to draw more tourist attention from both domestic and international markets soon.
When leaving Tripura, most visitors find it to be one of India's best-kept secrets and wonder why it remains an off-the-beaten-path tourist destination. Surely, the destination has a good resume. Still, it needs to be polished by the state and national tourism agencies to make it more attractive for travellers within India and overseas.
Fact File
 |
| Tripura is bordered by Bangladesh on three sides |
Getting there – Singapore Airlines www.singaporeairlines.com from Australia to Kolkata, from where there are regular flights to Agartala.
Accommodation – Modest accommodations at private hotels and government guesthouses are available, with the Agartala Ginger Hotel (www.gingerhotels.com) being the most popular.
Local Tour Managers– Koyeli Tours & Travel www.koyelitravels.in and Avani Travel Services www.avanitravels.com are two of the regions reputed ground operators.
More Info - Tripura Tourism www.tripuratourism.gov.in
 |
images: Sandip Hor and supplied
Feature supplied by: www.wtfmedia.com.au
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