Saturday, December 12, 2009

MY BEAUTIFUL STATE TRIPURA,


Neer Mahal, Tripura, India. Check the large size view and comments for more information and images. by Kanad Sanyal.


Neer Mahal in Tripura is one of two "Lake Palaces" in India (the other being in Rajasthan, in the extreme western part of the country, Tripura is on the extreme east!!).

This maginificient lake place was built in 1930 by Maharaja Birbikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur in the middle of a natural lake called Rudrasagar having an area of 5.35 Sq.Km. The construction was undertaken by Martin & Burn Co.

Maharajahs used this as their summer retreat and the palace can only be appraoched by boats from Rajghat.

ON WAY TO THE PALACE FROM RAJGHAT

SB's Place 025-1

Once you reach the piers at palace, you have two option to get in - the Maharajah Stairs and the Maharani Stairs. The palace, which took nine years to be built, is a pleasing harmony of Hindu and Muslim architecture. Over 400 feet in length, the palace contains two distinct wings - eastern one is for housing security and menial staff and the western wing is reserved for roayaly and the extended royal family.

CAUGHT IN FLIGHT. INSIDE THE PALACE

SB's Place 061-1

There is a tourist accommodation on the bank of the lake. However the fact that the lake has now shrunk to less than one square kilometer from its origianl size and the time it takes to cover the distance of 55 KM from Agartala to reach the palace (one and half hours) only highlight the administrative intervention it needs to place Neer Mahal to its rightful place in tourist itinerary of India.