Land of Palaces and Temples
Reverend James Long in his 19th century paper in volume 19 of the journal of Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal speaks of the might of this kingdom "The people of Tripura like the Sikhs were a military race, and their soldiers often played the same part as the Praetorian guards did in Rome."
There is a colorful diversity of cultures in Tripura. There are no less than 19 tribes in the state who prefer to live in the hills, such as the Tripuri, Reang, Noatia, Chakma, Garo, Kuki, Uchoi, Manipuri, and Mizo. The majority of the population however are the Bengali Hindu people from mainland India and their culture has influenced the land since the time of the Tripuri kings who were great patrons of Bengali culture, especially literature, and the Bengali language which was used officially in the kingdom's court. The various ethnicities today live peacefully and follow a variety of religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity along with indigenous beliefs.
The people of Tripura are skilled in the arts and crafts. Handloom is extensively practiced and is peculiar for its horizontal and vertical stripes scattered with colorful embroidery. The people are also extremely skilled in bamboo and cane handicrafts creating items such as furniture, utensils, hand-held fans, replicas, mats, baskets, idols, and decorations.
Music and dance are integral to its various cultures. There are local musical instruments such as the sumui which is a type of flute, kham which is a kind of drum, and the string-based sarinda and chongpreng. The various communities have preserved their own songs and dances that are unique to weddings, religious rites, and festivals. The garia dance of the Tripuri people is a religious performance. The Reang people are known for their hojagiri dance where young girls dance balanced on earthen pitchers. There are many other dance forms in the state such as the lebang dance of the Tripuri people, bizhu dance of the Chakma people, wangala dance of the Garo people, hai-hak dance of the Halam Kuki people, and the owa dance of Mog people.
Tripura is also rich in folklore, myths, legends, proverbs, riddles, and songs. These tales have been woven from the experiences of life and deal with subjects such as gods and deities, demons, witches, history, flora, fauna, the solar system, love, natural phenomena, birds, and animals. Each community represents unique relations with life and the living environment. While some view the sun and moon as brother and sister, others look at them as husband and wife. For some, the milky way is a path of the dead in the hereafter, the rainbow a long serpent who appears on the horizon to drink water from a reservoir, or the thunderstorm strikes where demons and devils dwell.
Sites across the state stand testimony to Tripura's rich culture. From the stone carvings of Unakoti, the palace on the water named Neermahal, to the palatial library of Ujjayanta – a fusion of mainstream religions and indigenous tribal beliefs is evident.
Five anticlinal hill ranges, their valleys, and plains make up the gorgeous landscape of Tripura. More than half of this land remains covered by evergreen and moist deciduous forests peculiarly interspersed with bamboo and cane growths. A small portion of grasslands and swamps can be found in the plains where herbaceous plants and shrubs flourish.
The biodiversity is rich for a tiny state and further improved by conservation endeavors in protected areas covering four wildlife sanctuaries and two national parks. More than 90 mammals can be found in the state including species such as elephants, bears, binturong, porcupine, barking deer, leopard, clouded leopard, and other species of small cats and primates. Tripura has the highest primate diversity in the country hosting seven out of the fifteen primates found in India. More than 400 plant species are found in the state. The avifauna consists of more than 300 bird species. Gumti Lake is an Important Bird Area where thousands of migratory waterfowl reside during the winters.
Garia Puja
Garia Puja is a Puja done by the tribes of the state and is held on the seventh day of the month of April. This festival is celebrated as a harvest festival by the ethnic tribes and celebrations begin from last day of March-April. This festival is celebrated in a traditional way by the people of Tripura and celebrated throughout the state with a lot of splendor and joy.
Ker Puja
Ker Puja is held after a fortnight of Kharchi Puja and is a traditional tribal festival. The deity of Vastu Devata is Ker meaning boundary or a particular area. People believe that the former rulers in the past used to perform this Puja for the general welfare and well being of the people of the state. A large piece of bamboo is used to make Ker and this bamboo is then used by the priest to perform the Puja.
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