Agartala
Capital of Tripura, dominated by the white domes of Ujjayanta Palace, with the lake palace of Neermahal and Tripura Sundari Temple on its outskirts.
Agartala is the capital of Tripura state in Northeast India. It sits right by the Bangladesh border, just about 4 km from the border crossing, and is the third-largest city in Northeast India. Once the capital of the princely state of Tripura under the Manikya dynasty, the city centres on the white Ujjayanta Palace and retains a strong royal and tribal culture, with Bengalis living alongside Tripuri and other tribal communities. October to March is cool and dry and the best time to travel; April–May is hot and humid, and the June–September monsoon brings heavy rain that disrupts some rural roads and boat trips. Sightseeing falls into three parts: in the city, Ujjayanta Palace (the State Museum), Jagannath Temple and Heritage Park, followed by the flag-lowering ceremony at the border crossing on the western outskirts in the evening; a southern day trip linking Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, the lake palace of Neermahal, Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur and the rock carvings of Chhabimura; and a long northern day trip to the rock carvings of Unakoti. Getting there: Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport has flights to Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi and elsewhere, and there are rail links to Guwahati; hiring a car is recommended for sights outside the city. Allow 3–4 days. Note: foreign visitors need no special entry permit, but carry your passport near the border; some sights are closed on Mondays or Fridays.
Top sights
- Ujjayanta Palace – A white royal palace completed in 1901, with three domes reflected in the lake in front; it is now the Tripura State Museum.
- Neermahal – A royal summer palace built in 1938 in the middle of Rudrasagar Lake; this red-and-white palace is reached by boat and is the largest lake…
- Tripura Sundari Temple – A five-century-old temple in Udaipur, one of India's 51 Shakti Peethas, with a Bengal-style temple on a tortoise-shaped hill.
- Unakoti – Giant Shiva heads and deity carvings from the 7th to 9th centuries, deep in the mountains; Tripura's most representative ancient site, best…
- Jagannath Bari Temple – An orange temple by Palace Lake, dedicated to Jagannath, an avatar of Vishnu, and facing Ujjayanta Palace across the water.
- Heritage Park Agartala – A city park displaying miniature replicas of Tripura's famous sites, offering a one-stop introduction to the state's main attractions.
- Agartala–Akhaura Border Retreat Ceremony – An India–Bangladesh border crossing on the western outskirts of the city, where border forces from both sides hold a lively flag-lowering c…
- Chaturdasha Devata Temple – A royal temple in Old Agartala dedicated to fourteen guardian deities of Tripura. A grand Kharchi Puja is held here every year.
- Kamalasagar Lake & Kali Temple – A large lake close to the Bangladesh border, where the Kali Temple on a hill beside the lake overlooks the Bangladeshi countryside across t…
- Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary – A forest reserve about 25 km south of Agartala, known for its Phayre's leaf monkeys, a zoo, and boating on the lake.
- Chabimura – Large deity carvings on the cliffs of the Gomati River gorge, reachable only by boat and dubbed the 'Amazon' of Tripura.
Where to eat
- Mairang Tripura Restaurant – A small eatery in north Agartala and one of the few restaurants specializing in Tripuri tribal dishes. Known for bamboo…
- Khunti Kadai Bengali Restaurant – A Bengali restaurant on HGB Road in the city centre, known for consistently good fish curry, fish thalis and slow-cooke…
Itineraries
- Tripura Palaces & Rock Carvings – Based in Agartala, explore royal palaces, a lake palace, ancient temples, and the rock carvings of Unakoti.