Agartala Tour

State:Tripura

Area:10492 Sq.km

Altitude:12.8metres

Annual Rainfall:220 cms

Climate:Summer:Max 35 Min 21.7

Winter:Max 25 Min 10.1

Best Time to Visit:September to March

An Overview of Agartala

Agartala is the capital city of Tripura.It is situated in the North Eastern part of India.It lies on the Haora River and is located 2 km from Bangladesh. It has several temples and palaces.Agartala, is a mini storehouse of rich cultural diversity.It is known for its twin modern palaces - Ujjayanta and Kunjaban.It is 1680 km from Calcutta and 599 km from Guwahati.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.

History

Agartala was once part of a Hindu kingdom, until the state was taken over by the Mughals in 1733. The British took over the reigns of governance in 1808 and Tripura was a princely state until 1956, when it became a Union Territory. When Tripura gained statehood in 1972, Agartala became the state capital.

Sightseeing in Agartala

The major attraction of the town is the Ujjayanta Palace, which was established in the Indo-Saracenic architectural style in 1901 by Maharaja Radhakishore Manikya. It is a two-storeyed mansion, with 28 hectares of parkland, and now occupies the office of the State Legislative Assembly. In the grounds, there are two temples - Umanneshwar and Jagganath - both of which are ochre in colour.

Another major place of attraction is the Kunjaban Palace built in 1917 by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya. It is located at a distance of 1 km away from the Ujjayanta Palace on a hillock. The Palace is 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 is located about 55km from Agartala.It is Tripura's Major destination.It is a summer resort 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 part of India and has been built in a blend of Hindu and Mughal architectural styles.

Places Around Agartala

Debtamura is situated at 75 km away from Agartala, on the banks of the river Gomati, between Udaipur and Amarpur. These are carved with images of Hindu Gods like Shiva, Vishnu, Kartik, Mahisasur, Mardini Durga and other deities. These images date back to the 15th and 16th century.

Unakoti is located at a distance of about 178 km from Agartala and is a pilgrimage site for Shiva worship. It dates back to the 8th and 9th century. It is surrounded by waterfalls on all sides. In the center is a 30-feet-high statue of Lord Shiva who is called Unakotishwara Kal Bhairava. The main attraction of this place is the Ashokasthami festival, held every year in the month of April.

Pilak is located at a distance of about 100 km from Agartala and is famous for its carvings in stone and terracotta plaques. These belong to the 8th and 9th century and are spread within an area of 10 sq. km. There are mammoth stone images of Narasimha and Avlokiteshwara to be seen here.

Fairs and Festivals

The Durga Puja season is generally the busiest time of the year and one can then experience the richness of Indian cultural extravaganza. Agartala is also known for its tribal festivals like Karachi, and Garia Puja.

How to reach Agartala

The nearest railhead is at Kumarghat.

The city Agartala is well connected by roads from all the destinations.

Agartala is connected by airlines flights with Calcutta, Guwahati, Delhi.