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How to Get There:
By Air: The State capital, Agartala is well connected by air with Calcutta, Guwahati, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, and Silchar. Flights from Guwahati or Calcutta take less than 45 minutes to reach Agartala. The state has three more small airports at Khowai, Kamalpur and Kailashahar which can be used only by small aircraft.
By Road and Rail:
Agartala is connected by road with Guwahati via Shillong by a National Highway. It takes one day by road from Guwahati. Good luxury coaches, both from private travel agencies and public sector transport corporations ply on this road. It is possible to take a roundabout route by circling Bangladesh and avoiding Shillong, but that would take 48 hours. Tripura is expected to be connected by rail to Guwahati by 2014. Currently, the nearest rail head is at Kumarghat which is 140 km from Agartala and it is this line that will be extended up to Agartala.
Considering that Tripura is virtually inside Bangladesh, it is more convenient for foreign
nationals to enter Tripura via Bangladesh with an appropriate visa. Such foreigners ex Dhaka or elsewhere in Bangladesh may come to Agartala via the Akhaura border check post. Reciprocally, foreign nationals in Tripura could enter Bangladesh via this route. Such tourists should inform the state Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism (ICAT) Department in advance, either in writing or by telephone, so that necessary arrangements can be made. The road time between Dhaka and Agartala is close to three hours.
Where to Stay:
Agartala has plenty of decent hotels, including a 3-star. There are a large number of private and Govt. lodges and guesthouses to suit any budget. |
Demographics:
Tripura is the second most populous state in North-East India, after Assam.
Bengalis represent almost 70% of Tripura's population and native tribals represent 30%. The tribal groups include the Kokborok-speaking tribes (16% of the state's population), the Jamatia, Reang and the Noatia. The literacy rate of Tripura is 73.2%, higher than the national average of 65.2%. 85.6% of the population is Hindu. Muslims make up 8.0% of the population, Christians 3.2% and Buddhists 3.1%.
Culture:
The dominant culture is Tripuri. Other culture is Jamatia, Reang, Noatia, Koloi, Mizo, Murasing, Chakma, Halam, Garo, Kuki, Mogh, Munda, Oraon, Santhal, and Uchoi. Dance gives expression to the tribal lifestyle. The main folk dances are Hozagiri dance of Reang community, Garia , Jhum, Maimita, Masak Sumani and Lebang boomani dances of Tripuri community, Bizu dance of Chakma community, Cheraw and Welcome dances of Lusai community, Hai-Hak dance of Malsum community, Wangala dance of Garo Community, Sangraiaka, Chimithang, Padisha and abhangma dances of Mog community, Garia dances of Kalai and Jamatia communities, Gajan, Dhamail, Sari and Rabindra dances of Bengali community and Basanta Rash and Pung chalam dances of Manipuri community. Each community can be identified by its musical instruments. The important musical instruments are' Khamb ( Drum)', Bamboo flute, 'Lebang,' 'Sarinda', 'Do- Tara', and 'Khengrong', etc.
What to See:
Agartala, Ujjayanta Palace, Unakoti, Pilak, Udaipur, Tripurasundari Temple, Neermahal, Jampui Hill, Bhavaneswari Temple, Sepahijala, Kamalasagar, Deotamura, Dumboor Lake and the Tripura Govt. Museum. The best time to see the state is between October and March, when it is cool in the plains and cold (5º C) in the mountains. Summer is hot and muggy.
Buddhist Shrines:
A large number of Buddhists take the Buddha Pilgrimage route, from Buddha Temple, Venuban Vihar in Agartala; Buddhist Temple at Pecharthal, North Tripura; Buddha temple at Kanchanpur, North Tripura; Buddha temple at Manu Bakul, South Tripura; Pilak – in Jolaibari, South Tripura; Boxnagar : In Sonamura, West Tripura and Mainamati & Paharpur (in Bangladesh).
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