Birendra Kishore Manikya

Birendra Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur ascended the throne of the Kingdom of Tripura on 25 November 1909, at the age of 26.

H.R.H. Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur
Maharaja
Reign1909-1923
PredecessorRadha Kishore Manikya
SuccessorBir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur
HouseManikya dynasty
ReligionHinduism
Kingdom of Tripura
Part of History of Tripura
Maha Manikyac. 1400–1431
Dharma Manikya I1431–1462
Ratna Manikya I1462–1487
Pratap Manikya1487
Vijaya Manikya I1488
Mukut Manikya1489
Dhanya Manikya1490–1515
Dhwaja Manikya1515–1520
Deva Manikya1520–1530
Indra Manikya I1530–1532
Vijaya Manikya II1532–1563
Ananta Manikya1563–1567
Udai Manikya I1567–1573
Joy Manikya I1573–1577
Amar Manikya1577–1585
Rajdhar Manikya I1586–1600
Ishwar Manikya1600
Yashodhar Manikya1600–1623
Interregnum1623–1626
Kalyan Manikya1626–1660
Govinda Manikya1660–1661
Chhatra Manikya1661–1667
Govinda Manikya1661–1673
Rama Manikya1673–1685
Ratna Manikya II1685–1693
Narendra Manikya1693–1695
Ratna Manikya II1695–1712
Mahendra Manikya1712–1714
Dharma Manikya II1714–1725
Jagat Manikya1725–1729
Dharma Manikya II1729
Mukunda Manikya1729–1739
Joy Manikya II1739–1744
Indra Manikya II1744–1746
Udai Manikya II1744
Joy Manikya II1746
Vijaya Manikya III1746–1748
Lakshman Manikya1740s/1750s
Interregnum1750s–1760
Krishna Manikya1760–1783
Rajdhar Manikya II1785–1806
Rama Ganga Manikya1806–1809
Durga Manikya1809–1813
Rama Ganga Manikya1813–1826
Kashi Chandra Manikya1826–1829
Krishna Kishore Manikya1829–1849
Ishan Chandra Manikya1849–1862
Bir Chandra Manikya1862–1896
Birendra Kishore Manikya1909–1923
Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya1923–1947
Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya1947–1949
1949–1978 (titular)
Kirit Pradyot Manikya1978–present (titular)
Tripura monarchy data
Manikya dynasty (Royal family)
Agartala (Capital of the kingdom)
Ujjayanta Palace (Royal residence)
Pushbanta Palace (Royal residence)
Neermahal (Royal residence)
Rajmala (Royal chronicle)
Tripura Buranji (Chronicle)
Chaturdasa Devata (Family deities)

Administrative reforms

edit

Birendra Kishore's contribution to the state lay in his administrative reforms, welfare activities and consistent attempt to spread education. He divided the state into ten administrative units on the model of subdivisions and introduced the system of civil service examinations for recruiting competent youths in the administration in 1909. The post of chief secretary was created in 1909.

He reconstituted the State Civil Service in 1909 for recruitment of high officials of the state including the post of Police Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Police. The new Arms Act and the Penal Code Amendment Act were passed in 1911. A small staff under a senior Inspector was engaged for detective purposes. The number of cases reported in the state was always small.[1]

Birendra Kishore took the first initiative to explore the potential of tea cultivation in Tripura by ordering an expert survey. Forty tea estates were set up in Tripura during his rule. The king had given a formal license to the Burma Oil Company in 1916 to explore oil, natural gas and minerals in Tripura after a survey conducted had given indication of potential deposits. He also founded a silk-weaving center at Agartala and took steps to develop agriculture.[2]

Patron of the arts

edit
 
Lakshmi Narayan Temple built by Birendra Kishore Manikya

An artist and prolific songwriter, Birendra Kishore was known for his beautiful oil paintings such as "Sannyasi", "Jhulon" and "Banshi Badan".[2] He founded the Ujjayanta Drama company giving an impetus to the development of theatre in Tripura.[3] The Lakshmi Narayan Temple, 'Durga Bari' and 'Lal Mahal' that form part of the Ujjayanta palace were built during his rule. He built the Pushbanta Place that is now the residence of the Governor of Tripura. King Birendra Kishore organised a grand reception for Rabindra Nath Tagore at Agartala after he had won the Nobel prize for literature in 1913.[4] Apart from providing ongoing financial assistance to Shanti Niketan he also donated 5,000 rupees to Tagore for setting up a hospital at Santi Niketan.[5]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Police system in Princely state of Tripura". tripura police. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Leading lights among the Manikyas". www.tripurainfo.in. Retrieved 31 May 2012.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Datta, Sekhar (6 April 2012). "Drama through the ages". The telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  4. ^ Deb Barma, Aloy; Debroy, Prajapita (2022). Cinema as Art and Popular Culture in Tripura: An Introduction. Agartala: Tribal Research and Cultural Institute. p. 14. ISBN 978-81-958995-0-0.
  5. ^ "Rabindranath immortalised Tripura". Govt of Tripura. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
edit