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Ujjayanta Palace: Palatium of the Tripura Kings
Ujjayanta Palace, Agartala Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The Ujjayanta Palace or Nuyungma in Tripuri, is a magnificent building at the heart of Agartala, the capital of Tripura. Presently housing the state museum and the state archives, it was at one time the residence of the last monarchs of Tripura. Now a tourist attraction, this marvel in white is the crowning jewel of its erstwhile owners, the Manikyas.
According to the Rajmala (Chronicle of the Kings of Tripura), the Manikya kings trace their lineage to the time of the Mahabharata. The Ujjayanta Palace served as the royal residence of the descendants of these kings of lore.
King Ishan Chandra Manikya built a palace in 1862 about 10 kms away from where the current structure stands. the structure suffered irreparable damages during the Assam Earthquake of 1897, rendering it uninhabitable. Therefore, under the patronage of King Radha Kishore Manikya Debbarma, the Ujjayanta Palace’s reconstruction was started in 1899 and completed in two years. King Radha Kishore gave the honour of naming the palace to his close friend- Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore. Henceforth, the Ujjayanta Palace came to host royal ceremonies like the Jubaraji (heir-naming ceremony), in the princely state of Tripura.
Lush gardens pave the entrance of Ujjayanta Palace. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Ujjayanta Palace is spread over an area of 250 acres and was designed by architect Alexander Martin of the Kolkata-based firm, M/S Martin & Co. Due to stringent finances, the 10 lakh rupees spent on its construction was covered with loans from the Bengal Bank, secured owing to arrangements made by Rabindranath Tagore. M/S Martin & Co. also built a summer retreat for its royal clients, the Neermahal in Melaghar, Sepahijala district, around 50 kms away from Agartala.
The architectural style of the Ujjayanta Palace is Neoclassical. It is a two-storey building, with spaces demarcated into the throne room, durbar hall, library, reception hall, and residential quarters for the royal family. Its exquisitely carved wooden ceiling and doors, tiled floors, three large domes, Mughal-inspired gardens and two artificial lakes only add to its romantic charm. The palace grounds also have temples dedicated to Lakshmi Narayan, Uma-Maheshwar, Durga and Lord Jagannath.
Ujjayanta Palace at night. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
In 1972-73, the Ujjayanta Palace was purchased by the State Government of Tripura when Tripura attained statehood. It then housed the State Legislative Assembly till 2011. It currently hosts the State Museum and State Archives.
The Tripura State Museum is the largest museum in North East India and records an impressive footfall. The museum’s collections include coins of Tripura’s ruling dynasties, sculptures, arts, textiles, crafts, and various other artefacts that highlight the history and ethnic diversity of Tripura and Northeast India. It also has a gallery filled with portraits of the Kings of Tripura, chronicling its royal history.
A statue of Maharaja Radha Kishore Manikya Debbarma stands tall in the palace’s promenade, as an ode to its glorious past. The palace is situated close to the Kunjaban Palace, where Rabindranath Tagore stayed during his visit in 1926. Today, Kunjaban Palace is the Raj Bhavan or the official residence of the Governor of Tripura.
The Ujjayanta Palace’s history as the seat of its monarchs and its present designation as the State Museum and Archives, is an acknowledgment of the palace’s significant place in Tripura’s history. Designated as a heritage building, the Ujjayanta Palace carries the legacy of its former residents and the people that they served.
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