Among the Indian States , Tripura is by far the most ancient. The Tripura State had, through numerous vicissitudes of time, been able to maintain its individuality and integrity upto the present time. The Mahabharata & Punaras of Hindu Religion shown that this State was established 3000 years before Christ. The history of Tripura state is still found in many parts of Tripura. The rulers claimed their descendant from legendary heroes of the Lunar Dynasty. There was two chronicles of Tripura Rulers :- Sri Sri Rajratnakaram & Sri Rajmala. Sri Sri Rajratnakaram was written even a few years before of Sri Rajmala and Sri Rajmala was written after some years of it . Sri Sri Rajratnakaram contains record of all the princes from king Druhyu. Records of kings coming before king Druhyu were chronicled in the Mahabharata and sastric literature. it was a very diffficult task to string together a systematic story of the ancient Dynasties of kings & princes of India. In ancient India , the custom of preserving genealogical tables was not widely prevalent. As a result, the history of many notable figures and families is now buried beyond reclamation in the dead past. But hapily such after was not reserved for the princes of Tripura State. In Tripura State from the time immemorial the duty of recording genealogical tables rested on the family priest like chontai and some form historical record had therefore been kept on the princes of Tripura and handed down from generation to generation.
The 23rd pillar inscription of samudra Gupta made mentioned of Tripura as a powerful state. This is a unassailable evidence that Tripura was a flourishing State in the 4th century A.D. During this long period ,the history of Tripura was mainly an unbroken record of brilliant military victories in which heroic and patriotic queens also played a prominent part. The Oshiro(Queen) of Chhengthum Fa,who led the Tripura army against the Emperor of Gour was annexed meherkul after inficting a crushing defeat will ever live in the history as a record of glorious achievement of Tripura Royal.
An ancient state in the extreme east of India bordering Bengal,Tripura dates its foundation from the year 100AD. The ruling dynasty claims descent from Yayati,Emperor of India during the heroic age. The verifiable history of the state dates only from the middle of the fifteenth century. The earliest recorded history being the epic known as the Rajmala.
According to tradition, king Tugral khan of Bengal, granted the rulers of the Dynasty the hereditary title of Manikya in return for the presentation of a costly gem, said to have been obtained from a frog. The title has been used as a unique title by the rulers of Tripura ever since.
The territories held by the Rajas reached their greatest extent during the 16th century. extending from the Hughli River(Indian Ganga river called in Bangladesh as Hughli) in the west, and to Kamrup in the North. The Mughals invaded the principality in 1618,and although later forced to withdraw due to en epidemic,the low-lying areas remained under Mughal control thereafter. These territories fell under the administration of HEIC after Lord Clive obtained the diwani of Bengal in 1765. The Tripura king continuing possession of his large and valuable estates in the British districts as a Zamindar, or landlord. The revenues of the Roshanabad zamindari axceeded those of the state of Tripura proper, which the Rajas continued to rule directly.
The system of succession, peculiar to Tripura,often resulted in disputes and contests for the throne. During former times thid frequently induced intervention by the Muslims rulers of Bengal,usually after a disgruntled prince had appealed for help. Similar disputes continued after the HEIC established their control over Bengal. The most serious of these established British influence over the State in 1809.King Rama Ganga Manikya had assumed power on the death of his father. The British deposed him because he was not the official Heir Apparent and the throne transferred to his cousin, By lucky fate, the cousin died four years later, allowing prince Rama Ganga to resume his rule. Thereafter, the British intervened very little in local affairs, leaving the country under the relatively peaceful rule of the manikyas.
Development in Tripura proper was slower than in other princely states, largely because of poor economic conditions. State revenues were supplemented by the Kings Zamindari in British Bengal, but these were insufficient for more than the very basic reforms. It was only with the reign of Maharaja Bir Chandra Kishore, in the last quarter of the nineteenth century that the first tentative steps towards reform and development began. However, no determined programme emerged until the reign of Maharaja Birendra Kishore during the second decade of the twentieth century. Perhaps due to his modern education his outlook may have been more receptive to change. Despite modest means,he reformed the revenue system,the courts ,police and army,built roads,hospitals and schools. He contracted marriages with several Nepalese princesses and send hos sons and brothers to administration and development of their homeland.
Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore succeeded his father aged fifteen in 1923,reigning under the guidance of his powerful uncles. Foe several years he ruled under a Council of Regency, a form of rule which usually prompted a deeper interest in State affairs by British officials. A series of administrative and other reforms were encouraged education expanded, communications and infrastructure improved. when the young Maharaja assumed full control,the state was on apar with other princely states. His keen interest in military affairs were to stand in good stead, particularly when the war in Burma reached India's borders and the Japanese threatened invasion . The small Tripura army served with distinction and honour, winning several decorations for gallantry Amongst the latter, the Maharaja's own younger brother.
Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore's early death in 1947 left his throne to his fourteen year old Son,Maharaja Kirit Bikram Kishore. This was a crucial time, not only because of British withdrawal and the subsequent uncertain status of the princes, but also due to the birth of East Pakistan. Tripura faced an immediate refugee problem, which brought conflict between the people, severe strain on the administration and threatened yo exhaust the meagre resourses of the state.The maharaja's mother who had assumed charge as Regent at her husband's death was forced to cede sovereignty to India within a few months.
By January 1948 the central government had assumed charge and the state continued to be ruled directly for many years. Tripura has now been recognised as a state of the Indian Union in its own right and democratic government has been in place foe thirty years . However, large section of the population have long been unhappy about the Indian annexation and have campaigned vigorously against it. Armed liberation groups continue to operate in many parts of the state where the writ of the Indian government does not run.
Maharaja Kirit Bikram Kishore expired in November 2006, following a sudden heart attack at his home. The late Maharaja and his family largely resided in calcutta,but continued to play a very active part in the cultural and political life of Tripura. several members of the family have served in the state legislature and in the national parliament in Delhi,the Maharaja, his wife, his uncles and cousins amongst that number. He has been succeeded by his son from his second marriage to Maharani Bibhu Kumari Devi, and his son was Maharaja Kirit Pradyot Debbarman Manikya Bahadur.
0 Comments