TOUCHDOWN ’s capital, Agartala, is dotted with historic palaces, age-old temples and placid lakes.

1 Insider’s View The spectacular heritage site at Unakoti Hill is a must-visit.

2 11 Agartala is a city of contrasts – a the Raj Bhavan is a landscape park 1. Sandstone and 19 state capital with a small-town that is popular with the locals, marble have been extensively used to vibe, congested streets yet an especially for its 'Puppet House'. build Agartala's floating Get an early start and head out unhurried pace, stuck in time The sprawling Heritage Park is wonder, . to Unakoti, 180 km northeast even as it embraces development. also worth a visit to see the state’s The eastern side of of Agartala. Here, hidden in the palace is an open- The former princely state has attractions and cultural facets air theatre. 2. The the lush forests of Jampui Hills several temples and palaces. Of showcased in miniature models. imposing bas-relief is one of the most spectacular the many temples surrounding Agartala is a great base to explore sculptures in Unakoti. heritage sites in India – the 3. The breathtakingly the stunning , Tripura’s many attractions such beautiful entrance massive bas-relief sculptures of the most iconic one is Jagannath as Dumboor Lake, Unakoti hill, gateway of the Unakoti – that has been a Shaivite Bari, an octagonal-shaped, multi- Baramura Eco Park and Neermahal Agartala Jagannath pilgrimage spot for centuries. Bari – a 19th-century coloured temple dedicated to amongst others. About a six-hour temple dedicated The 30- to 40-ft-high faces cut Lord Vishnu’s avatar Jagannath. drive from the state capital, the to Hindu Gods into the cliffside depict deities Agartala is also home to tranquil verdant Jampui Hills must be on Jagannath, Balabhadra such as Shiva, Ganesha and and Subhadra. lakes and expansive gardens. your to-see list for its expansive Hanuman. Legends and myths Rabindra Kanan located beside orange plantations. abound about the origin of these sculptures. The sculptural style 3 varies from tribal to classical indicating that they were made by different artists over different periods in history, most likely between the eighth and 13th centuries. A ramped walkway zigzags up the hill, allowing you to get up close to these incredible sculptures. Cascading waterfalls and small pools punctuate the hillside, making Unakoti a popular day-tripping spot for locals and tourists alike. Two

Prachi Joshi huge pilgrimage fairs are held in Unakoti every year during Makar Sankranti in January and for the

WORDS Ashokastami festival in April.

38 FOLLOW US ON Neermahal, located 50 km outside the city, is the only lake palace in . It was built in the 1930s in the by TOUCHDOWN the then Maharaja of Tripura, Bir Bikram Kishore . Budget & Blowout Guide Travelling on a shoestring budget, or in the mood to splurge? Our guide can help you decide.

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Relive the glory of the erstwhile Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary is Kingdom of Tripura by visiting the an hour's drive from the city. It whitewashed Ujjayanta Palace. is home to more than 450 plant Fronted by two lakes and Mughal- species and about 150 species of style gardens, the 1901 palace animals and birds, including Phayre’s is built in the Indo-Saracenic langur, rhesus monkey and clouded architectural style topped with three leopard. Inside the premises there domes. It houses the Tripura State is an open-air zoo, a deer park, a Museum where you can wander DO botanical garden and artificial lakes through palatial halls and galleries where you can go boating. Stay showcasing the state’s arts, crafts, options are available in the vicinty. history and culture. PAY R20 and above (multiple PAY R10 entry fees)

A key ingredient of Tripura’s Most restaurants in Agartala fall in traditional cuisine called Mui Borok the budget to moderate category so is berma or dried and fermented you can eat well without having to fish. Try kosoi bwtwi, which is made splurge too much. A few restaurants with French beans, onions, tofu, and worth checking out include Khunti berma. Wahang mosdeng is a pork Kadai for Bengali cuisine, Abhishek delicacy worth a taste. Of course, Hotel for Indian and Chinese, there are momos (try Momos N Rajdhani for North Indian fare, and More) and Chinese fast food available EAT Royal Veg for vegetarian food. everywhere – simply walk down Hari Ganga Basak Road and you won’t go hungry. 11 PAY R250 and above.

PAY R30 and above. MakeMyTrip.com 19

Tripura is known for its bamboo Traditional weaves and textiles and cane works as well as tribal from Tripura make excellent artefacts. Things to pick up include souvenirs and gifts. Head to table and floor mats, wall hangings, Tantumita Emporium for a wide cane room dividers and tribal variety of fabrics and readymade jewellery. Visit the busy shopping clothes. For high-quality bamboo, streets of Gol Bazar, Akhaura Road, cane, and wooden artefacts, visit and Shakuntala Road to buy these Tripura Government’s Handicrafts handicraft items. Emporium, Purbasha. For branded SHOP garments and electronics, Agartala’s first mall, City Centre, is a must-visit.

PAY R50 and above. Hiranmoy Boruah / Wikimedia Commons PAY R500 and above.

Hotel Welcome Palace, located Located 10 km from Maharaja Bir on Hari Ganga Basak Road, offers Bikram Airport, Hotel Sonar Tori is 30 rooms across its Economy, a three-star property accredited Executive, Super-Deluxe, King’s by the Ministry of Tourism. It offers Klub, and Presidential Suite 44 stylish city-view rooms and categories. Every room comes with suites with elegant furnishing and a king-size bed. Other facilities standard amenities. All suites have include round-the-clock room marble bathrooms. Breakfast is

service, same-day laundry service, STAY included in the tariff and the hotel’s free Wi-Fi, and an on-site, multi- in-house restaurant Neel Nod offers cuisine restaurant called Kurry Klub. sumptuous, multi-cuisine fare.

PAY R5,500 per night and above. justdial.com justdial.com PAY R1099 and above.

NOTE All prices listed here are approximate values at the time of print. GETTING THERE AirAsia India flies to Agartala from Kolkata, Imphal and Guwahati. airasia.com

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