Agartala

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Agartala
আগরতলা
Agortôla
—  capital  —
Clockwise from top: Ujjayanta Palace, City Center, Post Office chowmuni, Agartala secretariate, H.G.B Road, Uma Maheshwar Kali Bari
Agartala is located in Tripura
Agartala
Location of Agartala in Tripura
Coordinates: 23°30′N 91°30′E / 23.50°N 91.5°E / 23.50; 91.5Coordinates: 23°30′N 91°30′E / 23.50°N 91.5°E / 23.50; 91.5
Country
State Tripura
District West Tripura
Area
 • Total 58.84 km2 (22.72 sq mi)
Elevation 12.80 m (41.99 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 399,688
 • Density 6,251/km2 (16,190/sq mi)
Languages
 • Official Bengali, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 799001
Telephone code 91 (0)381
Vehicle registration TR
Website tripura.nic.in

Agartala /ˌɑːɡərtəˈlɑː/ (Bengali: আগরতলা Agortôla) is the capital of the Indian state of Tripura and is second largest city in North-east India after Guwahati,[1] both in municipal area and population. It lies on the bank of Haora River and is located 2 km from Bangladesh. Agartala has temples and palaces. As per 2011 census, Population of Agartala city is 399,688.[2] The population of Agartala was 367,822 in 2004 after the municipal expansion[3] (189,327 in the 2001 census).[4] The Noble laureate Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore visited the city more than once and also built a house that still exists.

Contents

History [edit]

Foundation [edit]

The ancient capital of the then Princely State ‘Swadhin Tripura’ was at Rangamati (Udaipur, South Tripura) by the bank of the river Gomati. In 1760 it was shifted by the Maharaja Krishna Chandra Manikya Bahadur (r.1829-1849) of Manikya Dynasty[5] to present old Agartala by the bank of the river Howrah/saidra and was named ‘Haveli’. Due to frequent invasion of the Kuki's and also to keep easy communication with the British Bengal, the Maharaja Krishna Chandra Manikya started the process of shifting the capital from Old Haveli to New Haveli (present Agartala) in 1849.

During the British Raj, Agartala was the capital of the erstwhile 'Hill Tippera' state, it became a municipality in 1874-75, and in 1901 had the population of 9,513.[6]

Agartala Municipality [edit]

The Agartala Municipality was established during the reign of Maharaja Bir Chandra Manikya (1862–1896) within an area of 3 square miles (8 km2) having a population of only 875 by a royal proclamation in the last part of 1871. Mr. A.W.S. Power, the first British political agent for Tipperah was also appointed as the Chairman of the Agartala Municipality in 1872 who held office from 1872-73.

Planned city [edit]

Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur is called the founder of the planned city of Agartala. During the 1940s the town area was re-organised in a planned manner with new roads and a market building.

Geography and climate [edit]

Agartala
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
9.1
 
26
10
 
 
20
 
29
13
 
 
59
 
33
19
 
 
182
 
34
22
 
 
316
 
33
24
 
 
455
 
32
25
 
 
386
 
31
25
 
 
313
 
32
25
 
 
225
 
32
24
 
 
165
 
31
22
 
 
40
 
29
17
 
 
8.4
 
26
11
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: IMD

Agartala is situated in a plain along the Haora River, though the city also extends to the low lying hills on its northern parts.

Agartala has a monsoon influenced humid subtropical climate with large amounts of rain almost all year. The city experiences long, hot and wet summers, lasting from April to October. Average temperatures are around 28 °C (82 °F), fluctuating with rainfall. There is a short, mild winter from mid-November to early March, with mostly dry conditions and average temperatures around 18 °C (64 °F).

Climate data for Agartala
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 25.7
(78.3)		 28.5
(83.3)		 32.9
(91.2)		 34.2
(93.6)		 32.9
(91.2)		 31.5
(88.7)		 31.3
(88.3)		 31.5
(88.7)		 31.7
(89.1)		 30.9
(87.6)		 29.0
(84.2)		 26.4
(79.5)		 30.54
(86.98)
Average low °C (°F) 9.8
(49.6)		 13.1
(55.6)		 18.6
(65.5)		 22.3
(72.1)		 23.6
(74.5)		 24.5
(76.1)		 24.7
(76.5)		 24.6
(76.3)		 24.2
(75.6)		 22.0
(71.6)		 16.5
(61.7)		 11.1
(52)		 19.58
(67.26)
Precipitation mm (inches) 9.1
(0.358)		 19.7
(0.776)		 59.0
(2.323)		 182.1
(7.169)		 316.4
(12.457)		 455.3
(17.925)		 385.8
(15.189)		 312.8
(12.315)		 224.8
(8.85)		 165.2
(6.504)		 40.0
(1.575)		 8.4
(0.331)		 2,178.6
(85.772)
Source: IMD

Demographics [edit]

As of the 2011 Indian census,[7] In education section, total literates in Agartala city are 343,633 of which 174,524 are males while 169,109 are females. Average literacy rate of Agartala city is 93.88 percent of which male and female literacy was 95.75 and 92.02 percent. The sex ratio of Agartala city is 1002 per 1000 males. Child sex ratio of girls is 940 per 1000 boys.

In 1941 Agartala had a population of 17,693.[8] By 1991 the population had risen to 157,358.[9]

See also: List of cities in the North East and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Growth of Agartala City. [edit]

Year Population Area
1901 6,415 3 square miles (8 km2)
1911 6,831 3 square miles (8 km2)
1921 7,743 3 square miles (8 km2)
1931 9,580 3 square miles (8 km2)
1941 17,693 3 square miles (8 km2)
1951 42,595 3 square miles (8 km2)
1961 54,878 3 square miles (8 km2)
1971 1,00,264 3 square miles (8 km2)
1981 1,32,186 10.94 km2
1991 1,57,358 15.81 km2
2001 1,88,540 16.02 km2
2004 3,67,822 58.84 km2
2011 3,99,688 58.84 km2 (Greater Agartala Planning Area: 5,12,264 and 92 km2)

Neighbourhoods [edit]

Agartala city consists of many Paras, which means "locality" in Bengali. Each neighbourhood or para is usually a municipal ward or division also.

Agartala town hall

Localities [edit]

Neighbourhoods of the city include:

  • Banamalipur
  • Dhaleswar
  • Pratapgar
  • Math Chowmuhani
  • Kashari Patti
  • Ker Chowhamani
  • Kaman Chowmuni
  • Krishnanagar
  • Radha Nagar
  • Shibnagar
  • Ramnagar
  • Joynagar
  • Abhoynagar
  • Arundhutinagar
  • Gol Bazar
  • Gurkha Basti
  • Kunjaban
  • College Tilla
  • m.b.b club
  • Indranagar
  • Bholagiri
  • Arundhuti Nagar
  • Bhati Abhoynagar
  • 79 Tilla
  • New Capital Complex
  • GB Bazar
  • Amtali
  • Badhar Ghat
  • Collegetila
  • Jagaharimura
  • Lake Chowmuni
  • Ganaraj Chowmuni
  • Durjoynagar
  • Bardowali
  • Bottala
  • Melarmath
  • Khayerpur etc.
  • Chandrapur

These areas are subdivided into residential blocks, such as Banamalipur which is divided into North Banamalipur, Madhya Banamlipur, South Banamalipur, etc.

Extensions [edit]

From 2004 the Agartala Municipal Council has been further extended, taking 16 Grams of Dukli R.D.Block, seven Grams of Mohanpur R.D.Block and two Grams of Jirania R.D.Block with area of 43 km2. and 1,78,495 population in addition to the 16 km2 and population of 2,00,000 in 2001 census.[10][11]

City administration [edit]

The Agartala city is managed by the Agartala Municipal Council, AMC, which divides the city into wards. Each ward has an elected ward representative or municipal councillor. For postal administration the city is divided into postal zones.

Municipal wards [edit]

Ward No. Para/location
1 Mulla Para, Bitter Ban, Bhati Abhoynagar, Radhanagar
2 Kunjaban Colony, Ujan Abhoynagar, Sukanta Palli
3 Shyamali Bazzar, Jagatpur, G.B. Kumari Tilla, Indranagar
4 Dhaleswar Nutan Palli, Dhaleswar (Part), Chandrapur (Part)
5 Uttar Banamalipur
6 Krishnanagar(Part), Banerjee Para, Batkhara Office, Lake Chowmuhani
7 Krishnanagar (West & South)
8 Ranjit Nagar, Kalikapur, Rampur, Joynagar (W), Joypur, Ramnagar (North)
9 Ramnagar (Part), Joynagar (Purba & Madhya)
10 Ramnagar (South), West Joynagar
11 Police Quarter Complex, M.B. Tilla, Surjya Para, Mission area, Barman Tilla
12 Bhattapukur, Sardar Pukur, Milan Sangha, Bardowali, Kabiraj Tilla, Madhya Para
13 Melarmath, Battala, Gandhighat, Town Bardowali, Master Para, Rabindra Palli, Office lane
14 Dim Sagar, Palace Compound, Banamalipur (Part), Santi Para, Khosh Bagan, M.G. Bazar, Madhya Para, Gangail, Krishnagar South
15 College Tilla (Part), Jagahari Mura, Town Paratapgarh
16 Shibnagar (Part), Banamalipur (Part), College Tilla (Part)
17 Shibnagar (East), Dhaleswar(Part), College Tilla (Part)

Politics [edit]

Agartala assembly constituency is part of Tripura West (Lok Sabha constituency).[12]

Economy [edit]

The city is the state capital. Most of the population is employed in the state and central government, and other government owned enterprises.

Public sector [edit]

Major PSUs in Agartala are:

  • ONGC
  • GAIL
  • BSNL
  • NEEPCO [5] (North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited)
  • TSECL (Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited)

The major commodities exported from Agartala are tea, rubber, bamboo stick & Agarbatti, Bamboo Handicrafts and gas/LPG.

Demography and culture [edit]

The city mainly consists of Bengalis and Tripuris. Bengali is widely spoken in the city as a result of the erstwhile regal patronage and high influx of Bengalis from Comilla, Sylhet, Noakhali, Chittagong districts of Bangladesh. Durga Puja and Saraswati puja are celebrated with great grandeur and ecstatic enthusiasm, which reflect the influence of the culture of the Bengalis. The inter-cultural, inter-communal integrity is rather wonderful. Hence, nearly every festivity attracts participation from citizens of diverse and vibrant backgrounds.

There is also a growing population of the native Tripuri people in the city. Among the native Tripuri festivals, the most famous are Kharchi and Garia festivals and Tring, the Tripuri New year celebrations. The major areas where the native Tripuri people live are in the localities of Abhoynagar, Banamalipur, Krishnanagar, Nandannagar and Kunjaban areas who have recently started to mass migrate to Agartala from other parts of Tripura.

Languages [edit]

While Bengali is the primary mode of communication.English are also used in here.

Religion [edit]

Laxmi Narayan Bari temple in the Palace Compound
Universal Prayer Hall, Ramakrishna Mission,Agartala,India

Hinduism is the dominant religion and there are many temples across the city.

Temples Some prominent temples are:

  • Lakshmi Narayan Templein the Palace Compound.
  • Jagannath Temple.
  • Ram Thakur's Ashram in Banamalipur.
  • Durga Bari Temple in the Palace Compound
  • Pagla Debata Temple, Agartala Old Motorstand
  • Satsanga Bihar, Krishnanagar
  • Kalibari Temple in the Palace Compound
  • Baba Loknath Temple, Laxmi Narayan Bari Road
  • Umamaheshwar Temple(Shibbari), Central Road
  • Ramkrishna Mission, Math Chowmani (Near Dhaleswar), Gandhi Ghat & Amtali
  • Bhavatarani Temple, Melarmath
  • Pagli masi Temple, Melaghar
  • Universal Prayer Hall is at the Ramakrishna Mission Dhaleswar Complex in Agartala.

Mosques

  • Gedu Miyar Masjid

Monasteries

  • Benuban Bihar, Kunjaban


Churches

  • Agartala Baptist Church, Arundhutinagar, the oldest church in Agartala
  • Agartala City Baptist Church, Supari Bagan
  • Capital Baptist Church, Nandannagar
  • Palace Baptist Church, Palace Compound
  • Khakotor Baptist Church, Abhoynagar
  • St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Durjoynagar [13]
  • Don Bosco Catholic Church, Nandannagar
  • Catholic Church, Mariamnagar, the first Christian community in Tripura [14]
  • Presbyterian Church, Shyamali Bazaar

Transportation [edit]

Airport [edit]

Agartala is connected by air, via Agartala Airport which connects it to other cities in India. There are direct flight connections to Kolkata, Imphal, Delhi, Silchar, Aizwal, Guwahati, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Agartala airport is the second busiest airport in north east India after Guwahati. The airport is located in Singerbhil 12.5 km (6.7 nautical miles) northwest from the heart of the city of Agartala. The major airlines are Air India, Jet Airways (Operating Codeshare and Konnect Flights), Indigo Airlines and Spicejet.

Planning is going on to upgrade the Airport building with better facilities & modern equipments

Entrance gate of the airport

Roads [edit]

National Highway 44 connects Agartala to Assam and the rest of India by road. The highways (NH44, NH 44A) connects Agartala with Silchar (317 km), Guwahati (599 km), Shillong (499 km), Dharmanagar (200 km) and Aizawl (443 km). A bus service connects it to Dhaka (150 km).

Agartala is well connected by road to other parts of Tripura state. National highway 44 has been extended to the south, thus improving the road connectivity between Agartala and south Tripura. Buses, Jeeps, Trekkers and SUVs are the most popular public carriers, and cars and vans are usually used for private hire.

The main mode of transport within the city consists of a network of cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws and buses.

Railways [edit]

Agartala has been connected to other cities in India since June 2008. The foundation stone for the 119 km Kumarghat-Agartala railway project was laid in 1996 by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.

AGARTALA MAIN STATION
Agartala railway station

Agartala is the second capital city (after Guwahati, Assam) in the northeast to be connected to the country's railway network.

Agartala railway track

A rail link between Agartala and Akhaura, Bangladesh was approved by the Government of India in September 2011.[15]

Communications [edit]

Radio stations [edit]

Television [edit]

Doordarshan (DD) has a television station in Agartala. Akash Tripura is a television channel in Agartla. It is a full-time Agartala based news channel. Voice 24 Tripura, Khabar 365 din the 2 satellite channel in the state . There are so many cable channels like- Hallabol, T.TV, Headlines Tripura, Sristi Tripura, Sristi music, sristi bangla, CITI, Triputa pratidin but these all are not 24 hours channel.

Newspapers [edit]

Bengali-language media is dominant in the city. Major news publications are:

  • Dainik Sambad (Bengali)
  • Syandan Patrika (Bengali)
  • Tripura Darpan (Bengali)
  • Tripura Times (English)
  • Ajker Fariad (Bengali)
  • Bartaman (Bengali)
  • Daily Desher Katha (Bengali)
  • Shokalbela (Bengali)
  • Tripura Samay
  • Dainik ganadoot(Bengali)
  • Pratibadi Kalam(Bengali)

Sandho Tripura(Bengali)

Education [edit]

Universities [edit]

♦ Tripura University- A Central University

 Offering Degrees in Humanities, Science, Commerce, Law, Management, Engineering, Medical, Para-Medical, Nursing, Veterinary Sciences,
 Agriculture, Teacher Education,Fine Arts and Crafts, Music, Physical Education etc., via its affiliated colleges across the State and 
 at its own campus at Suryamoni Nagar, Agartala.

♦ ICFAI University, Tripura

 Offering Degrees in Management, Engineering, Teacher Education etc., at its own campus at Kamalghat, Agartala.

♦ IGNOU Center, MBB College

 Offering Distance Learning Education

♦ Sikkim Manipal University Agartala Center

 Offering Distance Learning Education

Colleges [edit]

# Technical Colleges-

  • National Institute of Technology, Agartala
  • Tripura Institute of Technology
  • Tripura College of Agriculture
  • College of Fisheries (CF), Lembucherra (Under CAU, Imphal)
  • Women's Polytechnic
  • Bhavan’s Tripura College of Science and Technology

# Medical and Nursing Colleges-

  • Agartala Government Medical College
  • Tripura Medical College & DR.B.R.Ambedkar Memorial Teaching Hospitlal, Agartala
  • Regional Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences And Technology(RIPSAT),Abhoynagar
  • Tripura Institute Of Para-Medical Sciences, Amtali
  • College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (R K Nagar)
  • Institute of Nursing Science
  • Tripura College of Nursing
  • Govt tie up national college-
  • Aditya institutions (www.adityaedu.net),karnataka
  RR Institutions[Bangalore]

# Other Professional Colleges-

  • Tripura Government Law College
  • Institute of Advance Studies in Education
  • Bhavan’s Tripura College of Teacher Education

# General Degree Colleges-

  • Bir Bikram Memorial College
  • Women's College
  • Ramthakur College
  • Holy Cross College, Agartala

# Colleges for Arts & Music-

  • Sachin Deb Barman Memorial Govt. Music College
  • Govt. College of Art & Craft
  • Tripura Tribal Folk Music College (Khumlung)

Prominent Schools [edit]

Umakanta Academy

Sports [edit]

Many sports and games are played. Favourite is football with its own city football league with clubs from the neighborhoods and localities. Tripura has a state team which plays in the Eastern division of the Ranji Trophy Championship, the national cricket competition of India.

The main stadiums are the Badarghat Stadium, College Tilla Cricket Stadium and the Umakanta Academy Mini-Stadium.

File:MBB Cricket stadium.jpg

Tourism [edit]

Places of interest [edit]

Ujjayanta Palace
    • College Tilla - Maharaja Bir Bikram College, Tripura University buildings, football ground, international cricket stadium, picturesque lush landscapes and serene natural lakes. Its also a National Bird Sanctuary
    • Ujjayanta Palace - Palace of the Tripura kings, was converted to state legislative assembly & now into a museum
    • Jagannath temple — Hindu temple of Vaishnava school of thought.
    • Umamaheswar temple — Hindu temple of Shaiva and Shakti(durga).
    • Venuban Budhha Vihar
    • Krishna Mandir
    • Puratan Agartala (Old Agartala)
    • Malancha Niwas
    • Sipahijala Zoo
    • Neermahal (Palace amidst a natural lake,Rudrasagar)
    • Pilak (Buddhist sculpture of 7th & 8th century)
    • Unokoti
    • Kamalasagar
    • Jampui Hill (The Kashmir of Tripura which produces Oranges)
    • Rose Valley Amusement Park, Amtali
    • Matabari, Udaipur
    • Agartala City Centre
    • Agartala Secretariat

    Parks [edit]

    • Rabindra Kanan
    • Children's Park
    • Nehru Park
    • Kishans park
    • Rose valley park
    • Heritage Park

    Museums [edit]

    • Tripura State Museum at Post Office Chowmuhani.

    References [edit]

    1. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_big_cities_in_North_East_India
    2. ^ [1] Census of India 2011
    3. ^ Agartala Municipality Statistics, provided by the AMC(Agartala Municipal Council) at the Government of Tripura website
    4. ^ Indian Census
    5. ^ Genealogy of Tripura Kingdom Queensland University.
    6. ^ Agartala The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1909, v. 5, p. 70.
    7. ^ [2]
    8. ^ Columbia-Lippincott Gazeteer. p. 18
    9. ^ Cohen, Saul B.,ed. Columbia Gazeteer of the World (New York: Columbia University Press, 1998) p. 26
    10. ^ Agartala Municipality Statistics
    11. ^ Agartala Statistics and future outlook
    12. ^ "Assembly Constituencies — Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies" (PDF). Tripura. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 8 October 2008. 
    13. ^ [3] Roman Catholic Parishes, Tripura
    14. ^ [4]
    15. ^ http://twocircles.net/2011sep21/india_approves_new_railway_link_bangladesh.html

    External links [edit]

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Agartala


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