The State of Tripura was a princely state, and Maharaja Birbikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur was the last king. After the death of Maharaja Birbikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur in May 1947, a Council under the leadership of his widowed wife Maharani Kanchan Prabha Devi took over the charge of the administration on behalf of minor prince Kirit Bikram. The monarchy came to an end on 9th Sept, 1947 and Tripura was merged with the Indian Union as a part 'C' State, administered by the Chief Commissioner. Tripura became a Union Territory on 1st November 1956. The territorial council was formed on 15th August 1959, which was later dissolved and a Legislative Assembly with a council of ministers was formed in July, 1963. Tripura became a full fledged state in 1972. Till 31st August 1970 the district administration was run by one Deputy Commissioner. On 1st September 1970, Tripura was divided into 3 (three) districts, namely, North Tripura, South Tripura and West Tripura. Later the fourth district called Dhalai was created which started functioning from 16th April,1995.

Tripura is mainly a hilly territory with altitude ranging from 50 to 3080ft above sea level, though the major population of the state is concentrated in the plains. On the globe, Tripura is located approximately between latitude 22° 56' and 24° 32' north and longitude 9° 10' east. Adjoining it on the west, south and north is Bangladesh, while on the northeast is Assam and on the east is Mizoram. The state encompasses a vivid and striking attraction in the form of hills, dales, deep and evergreen valleys, which are bound to captivate you. The highly elevated hills in the state has further augmented the beauty of its landscape, which run parallel from north to south parallel to one another till they disappear in the plains of Sylhet. To mention some of the important hill ranges are the "Jampai" which has the highest peak in the state called "Be-taeang Shiv" (3,200ft), the "Sakhan Tlang", "Langtarai", "Athara", "Mura" and "Bara Mure."

The vital rivers of Tripura are the "Khowai," the "Manu", the "Haorah", the Muhur" and the "Gomati" The largest and the most sacred river of Tripura is the "Gomati" which accepts myriad south-following streams, before cutting across the ranges in a steep sided valley from east to west and emerging out of the hills near Rad hakis horepur. The source of the river is thought to be Tirthamukh where also lies the most alluring "Dumbur" falls considered as a very pious and chaste place for the people to take a holy dip in the water. This place potrays the religious sentiments associated with the river Gomati and its source Dumbur. The riverbeds here are generally sandy in the hills and clayey in the plains. There is however no artificial canal system in the state.

Sightseeing in Agartala, Tripura

Ujjayanta Palace
The major attraction of the town is the Ujjayanta Palace, which was established in the Indo-Saracenic architectural style in 1901 by Maharaja Radhakishore Manikya. It is a two-storeyed mansion, with 28 hectares of parkland, and now occupies the office of the State Legislative Assembly. In the grounds, there are two temples - Umanneshwar and Jagganath - both of which are ochre in colour.

Kunjaban Palace
Another major place of attraction is the Kunjaban Palace built in 1917 by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya. It is located at a distance of 1 km away from the Ujjayanta Palace on a hillock. The Palace is the official residence of the Governor of Tripura. The southern part of the Palace is open to the public and has been named as Rabindra Kanan.

Neermahal
Located about 55 km from Agartala is Neermahal, Tripura's major tourist destination. It is a summer resort built in the middle of a lake named Rudrasagar, with a total area of about 5.35 sq km. It is the only lake palace in Eastern part of India and has been built in a blend of Hindu and Mughal architectural styles.

Journey to Agartala, the Capital City of Tripura

Airport :
Agartala is connected by airlines flights with Calcutta, Guwahati, Delhi.

AgartalaRailheads :
The two nearest railway stations are Kumarghat (160 kms) and Dharama Nagar (200 kms). Both the stations on the North-East Frontier Railway, connected with Lumding & Guwahati, where as Lumding and Guwahati are connected with Calcutta and other major stations in India.

Road Transport :
Good motorable raods connect Agartala with Silchar- 288 kms, Guwahati 599 kms, Shillong 499 kms, Dharmanagar- 200 kms. Tripura Road Transport Corporation buses connect Silchar, Shillong and Dharma Nagar to Agartala.