Tripura
Tribes of Tripura
Tripura is the smallest of the states covered here and the one with the longest continuous dynastic history: the Manikya kings of Tripura ruled from Udaipur and later Agartala until the state's merger with India in 1949. Nineteen Scheduled Tribes are recognised in the state, of whom the Tripuri, Reang, Jamatia, Chakma, Halam, Mog and Noatia are the largest.
Demographically Tripura is unusual: partition-era and later migration from East Bengal made Bengali the majority language, and indigenous communities now form roughly a third of the population. Much of the state's cultural politics turns on that history, and it is worth knowing before you travel.
For visitors the state is compact — Agartala, Udaipur, Unakoti and the Jampui hills are all within a few hours of each other — and much less visited than the rest of the region.
Major communities of Tripura
Tripuri
Also written: Tipra, Debbarma, Borok (self-designation)
- Where:
- Across the state, with concentrations in Khowai, Gomati, West Tripura and the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council area
- Language:
- Kokborok, a Tibeto-Burman language of the Bodo-Garo group and an official language of Tripura
- Livelihood:
- Jhum and settled cultivation, rubber and horticulture, weaving, government service
The largest indigenous community and the one from which the Manikya royal line came. Garia Puja in April, dedicated to the deity Garia for the prosperity of the household and its livestock, is the community's principal festival and is danced with bamboo and cane instruments.
Reang
Also written: Bru (self-designation)
- Where:
- North Tripura, Dhalai and Kanchanpur; communities also live in Mizoram and Assam
- Language:
- Kau Bru, a Tibeto-Burman language related to Kokborok
- Livelihood:
- Jhum cultivation, bamboo work, forest produce
The second-largest community in the state, known for the Hojagiri dance — performed by girls balancing on an earthen pitcher with a bottle and lamp — which is one of the most recognisable folk forms of Northeast India. The community's displacement from Mizoram in the late 1990s and the subsequent resettlement agreements are a live part of its recent history.
Jamatia
- Where:
- Gomati district, especially Killa and Amarpur areas
- Language:
- Kokborok
- Livelihood:
- Farming, weaving, bamboo craft
The Jamatia maintain the Hoda Okra, an elected community body that regulates social matters and is one of the strongest surviving indigenous institutions in the state. Garia Puja is observed with particular thoroughness in Jamatia villages.
Chakma
- Where:
- South Tripura and Dhalai; also in Mizoram, Assam and the Chittagong Hill Tracts
- Language:
- Chakma, an Indo-Aryan language written in its own Chakma script
- Livelihood:
- Farming, weaving, fishing
The Chakma are Theravada Buddhists and one of the few communities in the region speaking an Indo-Aryan rather than Tibeto-Burman language. Their backstrap weaving and the Bizhu new-year observance in mid-April are the clearest cultural markers.
Halam
- Where:
- Dhalai, North Tripura and Khowai
- Language:
- Halam dialects of the Kuki-Chin group
- Livelihood:
- Jhum cultivation, bamboo and cane work
Halam is an umbrella term covering a number of sub-groups such as Molsom, Kaipeng and Rupini, each with its own dialect — a good example of why community names in this region need care.
Mog
Also written: Marma
- Where:
- South Tripura, near the Bangladesh border
- Language:
- Mog, a Tibeto-Burman language close to Arakanese
- Livelihood:
- Farming, weaving, monastic economy
The Mog are Theravada Buddhists with monasteries in South Tripura, and celebrate Sangrai, the water-festival new year, in April.
Languages and cultural identity
Kokborok is the main indigenous language and is taught in schools, with an ongoing public debate about script. Kuki-Chin languages are spoken by the Halam groups, Chakma is Indo-Aryan, and Bengali functions as the state link language. Religiously the state mixes indigenous practice, Hinduism as absorbed through the Manikya court, and Theravada Buddhism among the Chakma and Mog.
Crafts, weaving and livelihoods
- Risa, rignai and rikutu — the three-piece Tripuri handloom set, woven on loin looms with narrow banded patterns.
- Bamboo and cane work is the state's signature craft: furniture, screens, agarbatti sticks and household ware, supported by the state's bamboo mission.
- The Hojagiri dance of the Reang and the Lebang Boumani harvest dance of the Tripuri, both performed with everyday household objects.
- Stone reliefs at Unakoti and the rock carvings at Debtamura, which sit outside tribal craft traditions but form part of the state's older sacred landscape.
Community festivals of Tripura
April
Garia Puja
Tripuri · Tripuri villages, West & South Tripura
July
Kharchi Puja
Tripuri (state festival) · Old Agartala (Puran Habeli)
Etiquette and responsible photography
- Kharchi Puja at the Chaturdasha Devata temple in Old Agartala is a working religious festival; dress modestly and follow the temple's photography rules.
- Hojagiri is a skilled dance form. Where a performance is arranged for visitors, agree the payment with the group directly and credit the performers if you publish images.
- Border areas in South and North Tripura have security procedures. Carry ID and follow local instructions.
Frequently asked questions
- Which are the main tribes of Tripura?
- Tripura recognises nineteen Scheduled Tribes. The largest are the Tripuri (Debbarma), Reang (Bru), Jamatia, Chakma, Halam, Mog and Noatia.
- What language do Tripura's indigenous communities speak?
- Kokborok, a Tibeto-Burman language, is the main indigenous language and an official language of the state. Halam groups speak Kuki-Chin dialects, and the Chakma speak an Indo-Aryan language with its own script.
- Is a permit needed to visit Tripura?
- No permit is required for Tripura, for Indian or foreign nationals. Standard registration at accommodation applies to foreign visitors.
- Does Living Roots run tours in Tripura?
- Tripura is not part of our current published expeditions. We can plan a private cultural journey there on request, combined with Assam or Meghalaya.