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Tuesday 19 July 2011

Agartala --- What to See ......

Agartala
The main attractions in Agartala are Ujjayanta Palace, State Museum, Tribal Museum, Sukanta Academy, M.B.B. College, Laxminarayan Temple, Uma Maheswar Temple, Jagannath Temple, Benuban Bihar, Gedu Mian Mosque, Malanch Niwas, Rabindra Kanan, Purbasha, Handicrafts Designing Centre, Fourteen Goddess Temple, Portuguese Church etc.

Ujjayanta Palace
This royal house, which stands in the Capital city Agartala covering one sq.Km. area was built by Maharaja Radha Kishore Manikya during 1899-1901.It is a two storied mansion, having a mixed type of architecture with three high domes, the central one being 86’ high. The magnificent tile floor, curved wooden ceiling and beautifully crafted doors are particularly notable. The palace is set with huge Mughal style gardens, beautified by pools and gardens and tiled floors. Flood lighting and musical fountains have also added to its beauty.

Kunjaban Palace
A green hillock known as Kunjaban ( a bower) for its scenic beauty stands to the north of Ujjayanta palace at a distance of about 1 Km. Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya (1909-1923) selected this beautiful place for building a suburban palace for retreat and constructed a palace in 1917 which was named as ‘Pushbanta Palace’. The Maharaja himself being gifted artist is said to have drawn the plan of the palace and its adjoining garden.
Poet Rabindranath Tagore stayed in the eastern apartment of this palace during his 7th and last visit to the state in 1926. This palace was the mute witness to many of the great poet's creations including a number of popular songs. There are well laid gardens and lawns inside the palace which is the official residence of the Governor of Tripura now. The southern side of the garden has been made open for the public and has been named as ‘Rabindra Kanan’.

Malancha Niwas
The Bungalow adjacent to Kunjaban palace situated on a hillock was originally a kaccha house where Tagore stayed during his visit in 1919. The pucca construction was subsequently built and given the name of Malancha Niwas.

 Fourteen Goddess Temple (14 k.m. from Agartala.)
It is located about 14 Km. away from Agartala at a place called Old Agartala. In the face of continued fight with Shamser Gazi, Maharaja Krishna Manikya had shifted the capital from Udaipur to Old Agartala. It continued to be the capital till it was shifted to Agartala. Near the sacred 14 goddess temple during the month of July every year a Kharchi festival is organised and thousands of pilgrims and devotees visit this festival.

Other Places to See :: M.B.B. College, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Jaggannathbari, Gedu Mia Mosque, Indo-Bangladesh Border at Akhaura, Purbasha etc.

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