Alappuzha

Alappuzha (Alleppey) is an exotic backwater site of India's southern state Kerala. Washed by the Arabian Sea, interlocked by a number of canals and bridges, this tiny marketplace is also famous for its Nehru Trophy boat race held every year. Alappuzha attracts tourists not only by its natural beauty but also through its locally made coir products that are of a very superior quality.

Location: Separated out from the former districts of Kottayam and Quilon, Alappuzha consists of seven taluks spread over an area of 1414 sq km. It is bounded by Kochi and Kanayannur taluks on its north; Vaikom, Kottayam, Changanassery Thiruvalla, Kozhencherry and Adoor taluks on its east; Kannathur and Karunagappally taluks on its south and the exotic Lakshadweep of the Arabian Sea on its west.

Best time to visit: The climate of this small town is temperate and humid in general and relatively more pleasant in the winter season. The temperature ranges from 22 to 35°C in summer and 20 to 32°C during winters. The best time to visit Alappuzha is during the winter season. The months from August-September and February-March are ideal for a visit. The backwater cruises in the exotic houseboats, which also serve Keralan cuisine delicacies, are an eternal experience.

The Nehru Trophy boat race is the major attraction of this place, which is held during Onam festival celebrated in the month of August. The festivities of the Mullakal temple during the month of December are highly recommended as some of India's finest temple musicians perform in the main hall during this festival. Besides these, the locally made coir and carpets of coconut fibers are also attracting tourists these days.

History: Before the Dutch took over, the Portuguese were the predominant rulers of this place. Later Maharaja Marthandavarma came to power and he gave ample importance to developmental works. Slowly it became a very busy commercial center attracting merchants from all over. This resulted in the establishment of a number of coir factories producing coir-related goods of quality. The first coir factory was developed by an English sea captain and soon others followed. The first Anglican Church was built in 1816 by the Christian missionaries whose headquarter was in Alappuzha.

Tourist attractions
Punnamada Kayal, the must-visit place of Alappuzha where the annual Nehru Trophy boat race takes place. During the month of August-September, the backwaters become crowded with thousands of spectators and a large number of competitors who come to participate in the famous Nehru Trophy boat race. The long boats, designed to resemble snakes, can accommodate 120 people, making two rows of 60 each. The energy, coordination, and the feeling of getting ahead in the competition make this game quite engrossing.

Krishnapuram Temple, the two-storied building, displays the typical Keralan style of architecture. The largest mural painting, Gajendra Miksham, is displayed in a museum here.

Ambalapuzha Temple, where Lord Krishna is worshipped, is also an important place to visit. Here one can see the typical temple architecture and culture of Kerala along with the chance to taste the Keralan delicacy, payasam, which is served to the visitors during the festival times of March/April.

St. Andrew's Church, established by the Portuguese missionaries, celebrates the feast of St. Sebastian in a fun-filled, festive way.

Situated in the heart of the town, Mullackal Temple, dedicated to goddess Rajarajeswari, is also a place worth visiting.

Surrounded by thick-green forests, Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple is a holy place where the king of serpents is worshiped. Number of devotees from all over India and abroad visit this place every year.

The Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple is believed to have miraculous powers and hence visited by number of pilgrims every year.

Kottamkulangara Mahavishnu Temple and Devi Temple are the oldest temples of Alappuzha and are sites worth visiting, especially during the time of festivals.

How to reach
Air - Alappuzha is accessible by all the means of communication. The nearest airport is Kochi at a distance of 64 km north. The Trivandrum airport is located 159 km south of Alappuzha.

Water - This exotic place is also well connected through waterways. It is linked by boat and ferry services through the scenic backwaters to Cochin, Kottayam, Kevalam, Changanassery and Chengannur.
Road - Cities like Cochin, Chennai, Howrah, Bangalore and Bokaro are well connected to Alappuzha. National Highway 47 goes through Alappuzha connecting it with almost all the nearby places of South India.

Agartala

The capital town of the eastern state of Tripura, Agartala, is a mini storehouse of rich cultural diversity. This is due to the city's physical proximity with the Indo-Bangladesh border, which is just two km away. Agartala moved to its present location in 1850, under the regime of King Maharaja Radha Krishna Kishore Manikya Bahadur. It is known for its twin modern palaces – Ujjayanta and Kunjaban.

Agartala is located in the western part of Tripura, astride the Haroa River. It is 1680 km from Calcutta and 599 km from Guwahati. National Highway No. 44 connects Agartala to Guwahati via Shillong. It takes about 24 hours by road from Guwahati to reach Agartala. The journey time by road between Dhaka and Agartala is approximately three hours.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Agartala is between October and April. Towards the extremes of this period, one might experience a few showers, but they are quite refreshing. The town is known for its cultural and historical worth, and one can easily notice bright bamboo and cloth umbrellas over ponds. Such parasols are part of the tribal customs of grandsons commemorating the deaths of their grandfathers on their anniversaries.

Agartala was once part of a Hindu kingdom, until the state was taken over by the Mughals in 1733. The British took over the reins of governance in 1808 and Tripura was a princely state until 1956, when it became a Union Territory. When Tripura gained statehood in 1972, Agartala became the state capital.

Tourist attractions: The major interest of the town is the Ujjayanta Palace, which was built in the Indo-Saracenic style in 1901 by Maharaja Radhakishore Manikya. It is a two-storeyed mansion, with 28 hectares of parkland, and now houses the office of the State Legislative Assembly. In the grounds, there are two temples – Umanneshwar and Jagganath – both of which are ochre in color.

Another important attraction is the Kunjaban Palace built in 1917 by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya. It is located about 1 km away from the Ujjayanta Palace on a hillock. The Palace is the official residence of the Governor of Tripura. The southern part of the Palace is open to public and has been named as Rabindra Kanan.

Situated about 55 km from Agartala is Neermahal, Tripura's major tourist attraction. It is a summer resort built in the middle of a lake named Rudrasagar, with a total area of about 5.35 sq. km. It is the only lake palace in Eastern India and has been built in a mixture of Hindu and Mughal styles.

Places around: Near this capital city, there are few places known for the rock cuts and carvings. These include Debtamura, Unakoti and Pilak.

Debtamura is situated 75 km away from Agartala, on the banks of the river Gomati, between Udaipur and Amarpur. It is famous for its panels of rock carvings on the steep mountain wall on the banks of Gomati. There are huge images carved of Shiva, Vishnu, Kartika, Mahisasur Mardini Durga and other gods and goddesses. This is also called Chabimura. These images date back to 15th-16th centuries.Debtamura means God's peak. The beautiful images of deities are carved with a lot of dexterity on the rocky faces of Debtamura which is as steep as 90 degrees. The hill ranges are covered with thick jungles and one can reach this abode of gods only after trekking through these jungles.

Unakoti is located at a distance of about 178 km from Agartala and is a pilgrimage site for Shiva worship. It dates back to the 8th and 9th century. It is surrounded by waterfalls on all sides. In the center is a 30-feet-high statue of Lord Shiva who is called Unakotishwara Kal Bhairava. The main attraction is the Ashokasthami festival held here every year in the month of April.

Pilak is located about 100 km from Agartala and is famous for its carvings in stone and terracotta plaques. These belong to the 8th and 9th century and are spread within an area of 10 sq. km. Mammoth stone images of Narasimha and Avlokiteshwara are seen here.

An important pilgrimage point for the Hindus is the Mata Tripureshwari Temple, which is among the 51 pitha stalas according to Hindu mythology. It is situated at a distance of 58 km from Agaratala. It houses the statue of Goddess Kali. Since it is in the form of a tortoise, it is also called the Kurma Pith.

About 14 km from Agartala is located the Chaturdas Devta Bari Temple. The famous tribal festival of Karachi is a major attraction of this temple and is held in the month of July annually.

Maa Bhubaneshwari Temple was built on the right banks of the Gomti River by Maharaja Govinda Manikya in the 17th century. The Buddha Vihar on Airport Road is in the North of the city and houses the Burmese statues of Lord Buddha. Other important temples of Agartala are Lakshmi Narayan temple, Jagannath temple, Uma Maheshwari temple and Durga temple.

Jampui Hills are located at a distance of about 200 km from Agartala and is famous as the land of the permanent spring. It is at a range of about 300 ft above sea level. The place is known for its natural splendor and serene atmosphere.

Located 55 km south is the city of lakes, Udaipur, which is known for its Mahadev temple and Tripura Sundari temple. Also nearby Agartala are the Sepajhila wildlife sanctuary and Krishna wildlife sanctuary. Dumboor, a locale of abundant natural beauty, is 100 km from Agartala and is famous for its lake and Sankranti Mela held in January. In the vicinity, one can find the temple of Lake Kamlasagar.

Fairs & festivals: The Durga Puja season is generally the busiest time of the year and one can then experience the richness of Indian cultural extravaganza. Agartala is also known for its tribal festivals like Karachi, and Garia Puja.

How to reach
Air - The airport is 12 km to the north and leads on to Agartala via the Ujjyanta Palace. Agartala is well connected with Guwahati, Silchar, Udaipur, Melaghar and Unakoti.

Rail - The nearest railhead is at Kumarghat.