The State of Tripura has a long history. The Kingdom of Tripura in its peak included the whole eastern region of Bengal from the Brahmaputra river in the north and west, the Bay of Bengal in the south and Burma to the east during the 14th and 15th centuries AD.
The last ruler of the princely state of Tripura was Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur who reigned from 1947-1949 Agartala after whom the kingdom was merged with India on 9 September 1949 and the administration was taken over on 15 October 1949.
The origins of the kingdom is shrouded in the myths written in Rajmala, the chronicle of the Kings of Tripura, which meanders from Hindu mythologies and Tripuri folklores.
Mythological period
Ancient period
The ancient period can be said from around 7th century when the Tripuri kings ruled from Kailashahar in North Tripura and they used "Fa" as their title, "pha" in Kokborok means "Father" or "Head".
Historical period
The Kings of Tripura adopted the "Manikya" title and shifted their capital to Udaipur (formerly Rangamati) on the banks of river Gomti in South Tripura in the 14th century. These was their most glorious period and their power and fame was even acknowledged by the Mughals, who were their contemporaries in North India.
Modern period
The modern period starts after the domination of the kingdom by the Mughals and the further tribute to the British India after the British defeated the Mughals. In 1871, the British Indian government appointed an agent to assist the Maharaja in the administration. During this period the capital of the kingdom was shifted to Agartala, in West Tripura the present state capital in the early part of 19th century.
After India's independence, the princely state of Tripura was merged with the Union of India in 1949. Tripura became a Union Territory on 1 July 1963 and attained the status of a full-fledged state on 21 January 1972.