After appointing former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly as the Brand Ambassador to promote tourism in the state, the Tripura government is set to host a series of ‘Tourism Promo Fest.’ The event will feature performances by renowned artists and celebrities, including the popular singer Shreya Ghoshal.
Tripura’s Tourism Minister, Sushanta Chowdhury, announced that the festival will be organized across four locations in the state, taking place from December 3 to 14. Ghoshal, who was named the first Indian Equal Global Ambassador for Spotify, will be one of the headline performers. The fest’s grand finale in Agartala will be held on December 14, where Ghoshal, known for her award-winning work in films like Devdas, will take the stage alongside other celebrated singers.
Shreya Ghoshal, a National Award-winning singer, has also been featured five times in Forbes’ list of the top 100 celebrities from India. Her performance will be a highlight of the event, which will showcase Tripura’s rich cultural diversity.
The Tourism Minister shared that the festival will be inaugurated by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on December 3 at the picturesque ‘Narkel Kunja’ island on Dumboor Lake. The event will provide a unique opportunity to experience the traditions, art, culture, and lifestyle of the state’s 19 indigenous tribes. Musical concerts and various competitions will also be part of the celebrations, which will take place at four locations in four different districts of the state.
Among the key venues for the fest are Neermahal Water Palace in Sepahijala district and the scenic Jampui Hills in North Tripura district. The Minister further stated that nearly 40 top tourist operators from across the country have been invited to the event to help promote Tripura as a top travel destination.
Earlier, Chief Minister Manik Saha had mentioned that over 5.45 lakh tourists, including 75,000 foreign nationals, visited the state in the previous year. He emphasized the state government’s efforts to develop the region’s tourism infrastructure and revealed that the government has secured a loan of Rs 180 crore from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support these efforts.
The Chief Minister also announced plans to introduce houseboat facilities on Dumboor Lake, similar to those found in Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala. “Previously, tourists mainly visited Sikkim, Darjeeling, and other parts of Northeast India. Now, they are exploring Tripura, which has many beautiful, yet unexplored, tourist spots,” CM Saha stated.
Saha highlighted the state’s focus on uncovering its hidden tourism gems, a task that has gained momentum since the BJP government came to power in 2018. To attract investors, the Tripura Tourism Policy has been introduced, with growing interest from potential investors. He also mentioned that under the centrally sponsored ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme, infrastructure development is ongoing at popular spots like Chabimura, Sepahijala, Neer Mahal, Ujjayanta Palace, Dumbur Lake, and the surrounding hills, as well as Unakoti.
Moreover, under the Centre’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme, development work is planned for the revered Mata Tripura Sundari Temple. Founded in 1501 by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya, the Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, located 65 km south of Agartala, is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India. It is the third such shrine in eastern India, after the Kali temple in Kolkata’s Kalighat and the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati.
On October 15, 1949, Tripura merged with India following an agreement between Maharani Kanchan Prabha Devi and the then-Indian Governor-General. This merger required the Tripura government to continue sponsoring 14 temples in the state, including the historic Tripura Sundari Temple, which remains under the care of the state’s royal family.
