The Ujjayanta Palace, a royal mansion on the banks of a beautiful lake, provides a glimpse of the heritage and history of the seven northeastern sister-states of India. It’s a major attraction for the tourists, with frequent government-run tours.
Having been a residence of the royal family, a place for State Legislative Assembly, and presently a museum, the white marvel is situated in the heart of Agartala in Tripura. The lush greenery of the Mughal gardens and the stagnant azure of the artificial ponds add to the charm of the two-storied palace. Surrounding the temple there are many Hindu temples worshipping Uma-Maheshwari, Lakshmi Narayan, Jagannath and, Kali.
The palace has now been converted into a museum, becoming the largest museum in the northeastern part of India. It has been renamed as the Tripura State museum. The museum is famous for its overarching theme of ethnic richness of the region as the visitors can view the diversified culture and traditions under one roof. The sombre walls and shelves of the museum are replete with sketches, drawings, textiles, coins, terracotta, oil paintings, sculptures, bronze images, tribal ornaments and musical instruments, and several other art objects.
The palace, built using designs and patterns of Roman, British and Mughal architecture, is spread over an area of about 800 acres. It comprises the Durbar hall, the Throne Room, the Reception Hall and the Library. Also, the Chinese Room in the palace is a must-watch as it showcases contributions from Chinese artisans.
In order to prolong the prominence of this 112-year-old historic site, the structure has been reconstructed for seismic retrofit so that it can withstand severe earthquakes.
Tourists can visit this historical site by availing the tours organised by the Tourism Department of the Tripura Government. Also, the destination is included in the tour packages of most of the private tour operators.
