Udaipur is a city and the headquarters of the Gomati district in the Indian state of Tripura. Located in the southern part of the state, it is one of the oldest urban centres in Tripura and served historically as a capital of the Tripuri kingdom. The city is widely known for its Hindu temples, tanks and lakes, and is often referred to as the "Lake City" of Tripura.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| State | Tripura |
| District | Gomati |
| Country | India |
| Administrative status | District headquarters; municipal council |
| Languages | Bengali, Kokborok |
| Notable landmark | Tripura Sundari Temple (Matabari) |
Udaipur lies on the banks of the Gomati river, on the alluvial plains of southern Tripura. The town is situated south of the state capital Agartala and is connected to it by National Highway 44 (the principal north–south corridor of the state). The surrounding terrain consists of low hills interspersed with paddy fields and small water bodies, several of which lie within the city itself.
Udaipur, formerly known as Rangamati, was an important seat of the Manikya rulers of Tripura before the capital was shifted to Old Agartala and later to present-day Agartala. The town derives its modern name from Maharaja Udai Manikya, who reigned in the sixteenth century and is credited with developing the settlement and constructing several tanks and temples. During the Manikya period, Udaipur emerged as a religious and political centre, and its temple architecture reflects a blend of indigenous Tripuri and Bengal traditions.
After the merger of the princely state of Tripura with the Indian Union in 1949, Udaipur continued as a sub-divisional town. With the reorganisation of Tripura's districts in 2012, Udaipur became the headquarters of the newly created Gomati district, which was carved out of South Tripura district.
The most prominent landmark in Udaipur is the Tripura Sundari Temple, popularly called Matabari, located on a small hillock about three kilometres from the town centre. The temple, built by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in 1501, is dedicated to the goddess Tripura Sundari and is counted among the 51 Shakti Pithas of Hindu tradition. Adjacent to the temple lies the Kalyan Sagar, a large tank known for its turtles and large fish.
Other notable temples and sites in and around Udaipur include the Bhubaneshwari Temple, Gunabati Group of Temples, and Jagannath Dighi. The Diwali festival at Matabari draws a Mela that is one of the largest religious gatherings in the state.
The city is administered by the Udaipur Municipal Council. As the district headquarters of Gomati, it hosts the offices of the District Magistrate and Collector, district court complex, and various line departments of the Government of Tripura.
Udaipur is served by National Highway 44 and has a railway station on the Lumding–Sabroom line of the Northeast Frontier Railway, which was extended into southern Tripura in stages during the 2010s. The nearest airport is Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala.
The population of Udaipur is predominantly Bengali-speaking, with a significant Tripuri (Kokborok-speaking) community and smaller groups of other indigenous peoples of Tripura. Hinduism is the dominant religion, reflected in the city's many temples and festivals.