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Agartala

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Agartala is the capital city of the Indian state of Tripura.

Agratala Centre
Agratala Centre

It is the largest city in the state and sits on the banks of the Haora/Saidra River. The city is located near the border with Bangladesh. It is approximately 2,499 km from New Delhi, the national capital of India. According to 2022 AMC data, Agartala is the second most populous city in Northeast India, following Guwahati. It is also India's third international internet gateway. The city is currently being developed under the Smart Cities Mission.

IBC Post
IBC Post

The name of the city is derived from two specific words. The first is "agar," which refers to a valuable perfume and incense tree from the genus Aquilaria. The second is the suffix "tala," which means "underneath." This name refers to the high density of agarwood trees that once grew in the region.

Ujjayanta palace Tripura State Museum Agartala India
Ujjayanta palace Tripura State Museum Agartala India

The history of the agar tree is even linked to folklore. Stories mention King Raghu tying his elephant's feet to an agar tree by the Lauhitya River.

Agartala has a complex history involving many different rulers. The area was once the capital for several Hindu kingdoms. Records show that as many as 179 Hindu rulers governed the region. This lineage includes the mythological King Druhya and ends with Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya. The state also came under Mughal rule at one point. In 1808, the state came under British governance. The capital was originally at Rangamati by the Gomati River. In 1760, Maharaja Krishna Chandra Manikya Bahadur moved the capital to the present site. He initially named the area "Haveli."

Maharaja bir bikram manikya
Maharaja bir bikram manikya

The modern layout of the city began with Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Debbarma. He is known as the founder of the planned city of Agartala. During a tour of the United Kingdom, he was inspired by its architecture. He wanted to create a similar township in his own land. This led to the reorganization of the town in the 1940s. During this time, new roads and market buildings were constructed. The Agartala Municipality was established earlier, in 1871, during the reign of Maharaja Bir Chandra Manikya.

Agartala town Hall
Agartala town Hall

The geography of Agartala includes both plains and low-lying hills. The city sits on a plain along the Haora River. The river flows through the city and often floods during the monsoon season. The climate is classified as monsoon-influenced humid subtropical. This means the city has long, hot, and wet summers from April to October. There is also a short, mild, and dry winter from mid-November to early March.

Areal view of agartala, mainly showing the parts of Ramnagar and the ICP
Areal view of agartala, mainly showing the parts of Ramnagar and the ICP

The best time to visit the city is between September and February.

Agartala is a very diverse place with many different people. Most of the population is Bengali, making up 90.84% of the residents. Other languages include Kokborok, English, Hindi, and Meitei. The city is home to both Bengali and Tripuri ethnic groups. Many people moved to the city from districts in Bangladesh, such as Comilla and Sylhet. The population is also divided among different religions. According to the 2011 census, 94.09% of people are Hindu, while 4.37% are Muslim.

Universal Prayer Hall, Ramakrishna Mission, Agartala, India
Universal Prayer Hall, Ramakrishna Mission, Agartala, India

People celebrate festivals like Durga Puja and the native Tripuri Kharchi festival.

There are many important landmarks and business hubs throughout the city. Kaman Chowmuhani is a central location named after a cannon. This cannon was captured by King Dhanya Manikya after a battle.

The Ujjayanta Palace is another famous site. For business, Gol Bazar is the largest market in Tripura. The city also features many residential areas called "paras." One such area, Ramnagar, uses a rectangular gridiron network of streets.

Tripura state musi
Tripura state musi

The city continues to grow rapidly as a major center in Northeast India.

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🖼️ Images & Media (23)
File:Maharaja bir bikram manikya.jpg
Maharaja bir bikram manikya.jpg
File:Areal view of agartala, mainly showing the parts of Ramnagar and the ICP.jpg
Areal view of agartala, mainly showing...
File:Agartala town Hall.JPG
Agartala town Hall.JPG
File:Big Bazaar along with ML Plaza shopping mall.jpg
Big Bazaar along with ML Plaza shopping mall.jpg
File:Ujjayanta Market formerly was known as Indira Book market.jpg
Ujjayanta Market formerly was known as...
File:IBC Post.jpeg
IBC Post.jpeg
File:Agratala Centre.jpeg
Agratala Centre.jpeg
File:Templetripura (22).JPG
Templetripura (22).JPG
File:Universal Prayer Hall, Ramakrishna Mission, Agartala, India.jpg
Universal Prayer Hall, Ramakrishna...
File:Don bosco church in agartala.jpg
Don bosco church in agartala.jpg
File:Mariamnagar church.jpg
Mariamnagar church.jpg
File:Mbb airport.jpg
Mbb airport.jpg

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