TRIPURA TRIBES
Major Tribes: Riang, Bodos
Major Tribes: Lepchas, Bhutias, Nepalese
Born To Optimism
Inspired by the gay abandon of the birds, the sweet fragrance of the
flowers, the people of Tripura are born optimists, cheerful by
temperament, freedom loving and happy go lucky.
Tribals whose only company at one time was wild animals and reptiles of
all varieties inhabit the state; but now the winds of modernisation and
change blow in all parts. The weather here is heavy and stuffy, but change
is coming about everywhere.
Tripura - Natural Delight
The first aspect of Tripura, which does not seem to have changed with
time is the sheer beauty of the place. It is not the breathtaking beauty
that one finds in Kashmir or in Lakshadweep or even in many parts of
Kerala; there are no daunting peaks that mark the horizon in Himachal
Pradesh or parts of Uttaranchal or the heavenly magnificence of sunsets
over the sea. No doubt, Khowai, Manu and Gomati rivers lack the challenge
- that the Brahmaputra in Assam poses - as they pass through deep gorges
or flow through open plains.
The beauty of Tripura, as in most of the northeast, lies in its sylvan
spread and simplicity of the people who live there. The small 'Tilas'
(hillocks) do not present the same challenge as the mighty hills and dales
of the Himalayas or the Vindhyas. But for the people who inhabit them and
try to eke out a living from cultivating them, the challenge is no less
daunting.
Topography
Surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides with an international frontier of
1,000-kms, Tripura has a tenuous link with the rest of the country through
Cachar district of Assam. It is the north easternmost part of the country
with an area of more than 10,000-sq-kms.
The hill ranges, which broadly run from north to south, losing altitude
till they merge into the plains of Bangladesh, divide the territory into
broad parallel valleys, the area of which consists of low undulating
Tilas.
All the hill ranges were at one time thickly forested areas with lush
under growth. But due to unrestricted felling and the practice of shifting
cultivation known as "Jhuming", extensive bare patches are
discernible. But this age-old practice seems to be on the way out. Many of
the tribal people now seem to have adopted horticulture as a way of life.
Curbing Deforestation
Tribals always had a vested interest in maintaining forests. With the
help of the forest department, this interest now seems to have become an
obsession, especially in the Udaipur-Amarpur tract. The Longtherai range
is now green and lush and the Teak tree very much in evidence everywhere,
especially on the roadsides.
Apart from its physical beauty, Tripura has another important claim to
fame - it is perhaps the only area where the Bodos still largely retain
their identity and speech. A substantial population in Tripura has been
able to retain its medieval political and cultural milieu and its old "Kak
Barak" (now called Tripuri) language.
Pilgrimage Destination
Of the frontier kingdoms mentioned in the Ashokan pillar, now kept in the
Allahabad Fort, only Tripura is still in existence. It is traditionally
considered the chosen abode of Lord Shiva, Hinduism having taken deep
roots among the Tripuris by the end of the 15th century. Tripura is also a
"Pithasthan", a place of pilgrimage, the place where the right
Toe of Sati fell after she was cut to pieces by Shiva. In fact, this place
is now marked by the Matabari temple of Udaipur.
A visit to Matabari is a must. It is a serene place but the real surprise
was in store when one visits the temple of the 14 Gods or the "Chaturdas
Devtabari" in old Agartala.
In Tripura, the Bodos have adjusted their culture and myths to that of
the Hindus. For ages, the Chaturdas Devta has been the ruling deity of
Tripura. During a certain annual festival called Khar Puja. The high
priest called "Chantai" is declared king for the duration of the
festival. A boundary line is drawn around the Puja area and no one steps
out of this restricted area for a week. Its high priest, the Chantai,
holds a position in society equal to that of a Brahmin. In this respect,
Tripura is a crucible in which one can study the evolution of Indian
civilisation.
Indian culture and civilisation can be called a grand synthesis, and
Tripura is a unique example of this. The state also exemplifies how
culture can survive amidst poverty and reinforces the fact that beauty is
not just skin deep, but goes deeper in the lives and customs of the
people.
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