Twipra Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Twipra Kingdom was one of the largest ancient kingdom of the Tipra people of the Bodo-Kachari
ethnicity in the Northeastern region of the Indian Subcontinent
having a chronicle of 186 Kings till the present times (Maharaja Pradyot Kishore Manikya, better known as Kirit Pradyot Deb Burman).
The Tipra Kingdom in all its various ages comprised the areas with the borders:
surnames) and also comprised the Jamatia
, Riang, Tripura-Noatia
, Halam
communities of today as subjects.
Twipra is short for Twima Bupra in Tipra language which means confluence/meeting place of Rivers, i.e. the confluence of the Brahmaputra river. Tipra is the shorter form of Twipra.
group of people migrated from South China
via Tibet
to present areas of North-East India
and Bangladesh
well before the 1st century B.C when Buddhism
was formally introduced to China
because the Bodo-Kachari
people show no trace of Buddhism
.
The Bodo-Kachari people gradually settled into the present areas and formed the communities of the Bodo
, Kachari
, Garo
, Tipra, Dimasa
, Koch
peoples. They formed their respective powerful kingdoms such as the:
The Bodo-Kachari people basically stayed around the Brahmaputra river (which they called the 'Big River', Dima/Twima) and around its tributaries.
These communities were well-established in these lands long time before the Aryan
settlement of Bengal
and Assam
.
(Twima) with the Meghna and Surma
rivers in today's Central Bangladesh
area. The capital was called Khorongma (Kholongma) and was along the Meghna river in the Sylhet
Division of present-day Bangladesh
.
The Kings of the Tripura had the title of father, justifying the Tripuri view of a King as a "Father of the Country".
The Kings of the Tipra had the title of 'FA' (Pha means 'Father' in Kokborok) justifying the Chinese-Confucian view of a King as a Father of the Country.
river in Sylhet
near present Kailasahar town of North Tripura.
) and is still preserved in the Choddha Devta Mandir in Old Agartala, which is maintained by the Tipra priests known as Chontai's, who oversee the festivals of the Kharchi
and Ker
according to traditions. It was similar to the Chinese folk religions.
in the 13th century and since then the Kings of Tripura
had the title of Manikya till the death of Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya in 1947 AD. Ratna Fa shifted the capital to Rangamati on the banks of the river Gumti now in South Tripura.
Kings such as Govinda Manikya ruled over large areas and confronted and stopped the advance of the Mughals
and other Muslim
Kingdoms at this time.
s and Mughals
the territory of Tipra gradually started diminishing and by the time the British came to rule Bengal in the 18th century Tipra came to include only the Tippera District (present Comilla District
in Bangladesh
) and Hill Tippera District (present Tripura
state in India
). Sylhet
(including Cachar) and Chittagong
was lost by then to the British
.
, died in 1947, ending the Independence and existence of the once powerful Twipra Kingdom.
, Pradyot Bikram Kishore Manikya, is an upcoming political leader and a media magnet.
Bodo-Kachari
Bodo-Kachari is a generic term applied to a number of ethnic groups predominantly in Assam speaking Tibeto-Burman languages or claiming a common ancestry.-Origins:...
ethnicity in the Northeastern region of the Indian Subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
having a chronicle of 186 Kings till the present times (Maharaja Pradyot Kishore Manikya, better known as Kirit Pradyot Deb Burman).
Geographical spread
The present political areas which were part of the Tipra Kingdom are:- SylhetSylhetSylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
, DhakaDhakaDhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
and ChittagongChittagongChittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
Divisions of BangladeshBangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south... - Cachar Valley of AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
- MizoramMizoramMizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...
and TripuraTripuraTripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
states of IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
The Tipra Kingdom in all its various ages comprised the areas with the borders:
- Khasi HillsKhasi HillsThe Khasi Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi range in the Indian state of Meghalaya, and is part of the Patkai range and of the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion...
in the North - ManipurManipurManipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
Hills in the North-East - ArakanRakhine StateRakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
Hills of Burma in the East - The Bay of BengalBay of BengalThe Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
to the South - The Brahmaputra river to the West
Foundation
The Twipra Kingdom was founded and ruled by the Tipra people (today's people with the Dev Burman-Dev Varman-Debbarman-DebbarmaDebbarma
Debbarma is the surname or the title generally used by the Borok people, indigenous people of Tripura, a state in India. The mother tongue of this ethnic group is Kokborok.and Bengali-Variations:...
surnames) and also comprised the Jamatia
Jamatia
Jamatia is one of the 21 scheduled tribes of Tripura state of India. They are mainly dwelling in the West Tripura and the South Tripura districts. They speak the language Kokborok which is of Tibeto-Burmese origin...
, Riang, Tripura-Noatia
Noatia
Noatia is one of the 21 scheduled tribes of the Tripura state of India. The tribe mainly lives in the hills of Dhalai and the North Tripura districts of the Tripura state of India. They speak the Noatia dialect of Kokborok which is of Tibeto-Burmese origin. Their appearance is mongoloid.-See...
, Halam
Halam (ethnic group)
The Halam people are a Kuki tribe native to the state of Tripura in India. The name Halam is coined by the Tipra Raja. They are also known as Mizo, while some people called them Ranglong. They are further divided into 15 sub-clans.-History:...
communities of today as subjects.
Twipra is short for Twima Bupra in Tipra language which means confluence/meeting place of Rivers, i.e. the confluence of the Brahmaputra river. Tipra is the shorter form of Twipra.
Before 1st Century B.C.
Scientists have pointed out that the Bodo-KachariBodo-Kachari
Bodo-Kachari is a generic term applied to a number of ethnic groups predominantly in Assam speaking Tibeto-Burman languages or claiming a common ancestry.-Origins:...
group of people migrated from South China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
via Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
to present areas of North-East India
North-East India
Northeast India refers to the easternmost region of India consisting of the contiguous Seven Sister States, Sikkim, and parts of North Bengal...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
well before the 1st century B.C when Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
was formally introduced to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
because the Bodo-Kachari
Bodo-Kachari
Bodo-Kachari is a generic term applied to a number of ethnic groups predominantly in Assam speaking Tibeto-Burman languages or claiming a common ancestry.-Origins:...
people show no trace of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
.
The Bodo-Kachari people gradually settled into the present areas and formed the communities of the Bodo
Bodo
- Locations :* Bodø, A city in Norway*Bodo, Alberta, a hamlet in Central Alberta, Canada, close to the Saskatchewan border.*Bodo , a town and commune in Côte d'Ivoire*BoDo, a district of Boise, ID; the name of which stems from Boise Downtown....
, Kachari
Kachari
Kachari or Cachari may refer to:*Kachari people*Kachari Kingdom*Kachari language*The Kachari Ruins in Dimapur...
, Garo
Garo
-Garo People and languages :* Garo , a tribe in India and Bangladesh.* Bodo-Garo languages, a small family of Tibeto-Burman languages spoken in eastern India,** Garo language, the language spoken by the Garo tribe...
, Tipra, Dimasa
Dimasa
The Dimasa people are a group of people in Assam, in northeastern IndiaDimasa mythology says they are the children of Bangla Raja and the great divine bird Arikhidima...
, Koch
Koch
Koch may refer to:* Koch , a type of Arctic boat* Koch people , an ethnic group originally from the ancient Koch kingdom in north east India* Koch , people with this surname* Koch, Łódź Voivodeship, a village in central Poland...
peoples. They formed their respective powerful kingdoms such as the:
- Kachari KingdomKachari KingdomThe Kachari Kingdom was a powerful kingdom in medieval Assam. The rulers belonged to the Dimasa people, part of the greater Bodo-Kachari ethnic group...
in AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country... - Koch Kingdom in West BengalWest BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
- Twipra Kingdom in East BengalEast BengalEast Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
The Bodo-Kachari people basically stayed around the Brahmaputra river (which they called the 'Big River', Dima/Twima) and around its tributaries.
These communities were well-established in these lands long time before the Aryan
Aryan
Aryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
settlement of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
.
After 1st century B.C.
The Tipra Kingdom was established around the confluence of the Brahmaputra riverBrahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra , also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the major rivers of Asia. It is the only Indian river that is attributed the masculine gender and thus referred to as a in Indo-Aryan languages and languages with Indo-Aryan influence...
(Twima) with the Meghna and Surma
Surma
Surma may refer to:* Surma — a beast which guards the gates of the Underworld;* Surma people — a pastoralist ethnic group in western Ethiopia;* Kohl — another name for the eyelash dye and eye cosmetic;...
rivers in today's Central Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
area. The capital was called Khorongma (Kholongma) and was along the Meghna river in the Sylhet
Sylhet
Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
Division of present-day Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
The Kings of the Tripura had the title of father, justifying the Tripuri view of a King as a "Father of the Country".
The Kings of the Tipra had the title of 'FA' (Pha means 'Father' in Kokborok) justifying the Chinese-Confucian view of a King as a Father of the Country.
Tring Calendar
According to Rajmala, King Himti also known as Jujaru Pha or Hamtor Pha, who was the 118th king of Twipra Kingdom was the first king to annex and subjugate a part of Bengal and to commemorate/mark the victory, the Tring (Twipra Era) was introduced. His then capital was in 'Kholongma'. To mark his victory the Twipra era known as Tring was started from 590 A.D and is being used till today by the Tipra people.8th Century A.D. Onwards
In the 8th century A.D. the Kingdom shifted its capital eastwards along the SurmaSurma
Surma may refer to:* Surma — a beast which guards the gates of the Underworld;* Surma people — a pastoralist ethnic group in western Ethiopia;* Kohl — another name for the eyelash dye and eye cosmetic;...
river in Sylhet
Sylhet
Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
near present Kailasahar town of North Tripura.
Religion of the Tipra people
The religion of the Tipra had 14 Gods and Goddesses known as choddha devta (in BengaliBengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
) and is still preserved in the Choddha Devta Mandir in Old Agartala, which is maintained by the Tipra priests known as Chontai's, who oversee the festivals of the Kharchi
Kharchi
Kharchi is the Gods of the Tripuri people.The following are the names of various gods worshipped by the Tripuris and other major tribes of the state.-Goraiya and Kataiya:...
and Ker
Ker
-People:* Allan Ebenezer Ker* Ker Chien-ming* Crawford Ker* David Ker* George Ker* Humphrey Ker* John Ker* Lucas Arnold Ker*Neil Ripley Ker, a scholar of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts* Richard Ker* Robert Ker* William Ker* William Paton Ker...
according to traditions. It was similar to the Chinese folk religions.
Ratna Fa
Ratna Fa adopted the title ManikyaManikya Dynasty
The Kings of Tripura assumed the title of Manikya. The dynasty was of Indo-Mongolian origin and was founded when Ratna Fa assumed the title in 1280....
in the 13th century and since then the Kings of Tripura
Kings of Tripura
The chronicle of Kings of Twipra Kingdom are given below as per the Rajmala, the Chronicle of the Kings, in Bengal, written by court pandits, 15 century onwards #Chandra# Budh# Pururoba# Ayu# Nahusha# Yayati# Druhyu# Babhru# Setu# Anarta# Gandhar...
had the title of Manikya till the death of Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya in 1947 AD. Ratna Fa shifted the capital to Rangamati on the banks of the river Gumti now in South Tripura.
Glorious period
A glorious period of the Tipra started where they ruled over their most vast area at this time. Rangamati was renamed Udaipur after Udai Manikya.Kings such as Govinda Manikya ruled over large areas and confronted and stopped the advance of the Mughals
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and other Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Kingdoms at this time.
British Era
Finally after many wars over the centuries with the Muslim SultanSultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
s and Mughals
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
the territory of Tipra gradually started diminishing and by the time the British came to rule Bengal in the 18th century Tipra came to include only the Tippera District (present Comilla District
Comilla District
The district of Comilla consists 4543 mosques, 379 temples, 98 churches, 34 Buddhist temples and six tombs.-Places of interest:Important landmarks include Kotbari, a cantonment, or military installation and Kandirpar, considered the heart of the Comilla district...
in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
) and Hill Tippera District (present Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
state in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
). Sylhet
Sylhet
Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
(including Cachar) and Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
was lost by then to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya
The last independent and crowned King of Tripura, Bir Bikram Kishore ManikyaBir Bikram Kishore Debbarman
Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman Manikya Bahadur was a king of Tripura.He was the king before the merger of Tripura with India. He succeeded his father, Birendra Kishore Debbarman, after the elder man's death on 13 August 1923...
, died in 1947, ending the Independence and existence of the once powerful Twipra Kingdom.
Pradyot Bikram Kishore Manikya
The newly crowned head of the Manikya DynastyManikya Dynasty
The Kings of Tripura assumed the title of Manikya. The dynasty was of Indo-Mongolian origin and was founded when Ratna Fa assumed the title in 1280....
, Pradyot Bikram Kishore Manikya, is an upcoming political leader and a media magnet.