Unakoti is an administrative district in the northern part of the Indian state of Tripura. It was created in 2012 when the Government of Tripura reorganised the state's administrative geography by carving out four new districts from the existing four, raising the total number of districts to eight. Unakoti district takes its name from the ancient Unakoti rock-cut sculptures and reliefs, a major archaeological and pilgrimage site located within its limits.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Tripura |
| Region | Northern Tripura |
| Headquarters | Kailashahar |
| Established | 2012 |
| Named after | Unakoti rock-cut sculptures |
Until 2011, Tripura was divided into four districts: West Tripura, South Tripura, North Tripura and Dhalai. To bring administration closer to the people and improve service delivery in the hilly and tribal interior, the state government announced a fresh round of reorganisation. Effective in early 2012, four new districts — Unakoti, Khowai, Sepahijala and Gomati — were created. Unakoti was carved out of the erstwhile North Tripura district, with Kailashahar, a long-established sub-divisional town, designated as the district headquarters.
Unakoti district lies in the northern belt of Tripura, bordered by the state of Assam to the north and by Bangladesh to the west. The district shares state-internal boundaries with North Tripura district to the east and Dhalai district to the south. The terrain is a mix of low hills, valleys and tilla (small hillock) country typical of northern Tripura, with the Manu river and its tributaries draining parts of the district. Tea gardens, rubber plantations and paddy cultivation are characteristic features of the rural landscape.
The district is administered by a District Magistrate and Collector, supported by sub-divisional officers, block development officers and line department functionaries. For administrative purposes Unakoti is divided into sub-divisions, with Kailashahar serving as the principal urban centre and seat of district-level offices. Local self-government is exercised through municipal bodies in urban areas and panchayati raj institutions in rural areas, alongside village committees in areas notified under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council framework.
The district derives its name from the Unakoti hill, located near Kailashahar, which is famous for its colossal rock-cut images of Hindu deities. The name Unakoti, literally meaning "one less than a crore" in Bengali and other regional languages, refers to a local legend that there are 99,99,999 images at the site. The principal sculpture is a large rock-cut head of Shiva, known locally as Unakotiswara Kal Bhairava, accompanied by figures of Ganesha, Durga, Nandi and other deities. The site is protected and is a notable destination for pilgrimage during the Ashokastami mela and for cultural tourism.
The economy of Unakoti district is predominantly agrarian. Paddy is the principal food crop, while tea is an important commercial crop, with several gardens operating in the Kailashahar belt that historically formed part of the wider tea-growing zone of northeastern India. Rubber, horticulture, bamboo-based crafts and small-scale trade also contribute to local livelihoods. Kailashahar town functions as the main commercial and service hub of the district.
The district is connected to the rest of Tripura by the state highway network and by the Lumding–Sabroom railway line, which passes through Kumarghat. Kailashahar has a small airfield from the colonial period that has been used intermittently for civil operations. Road links extend southward to Agartala, the state capital, and northward towards Karimganj district in Assam.
Unakoti district is significant for its archaeological heritage, its role as a regional administrative and educational centre in northern Tripura, and its strategic location near the international border with Bangladesh and the inter-state border with Assam. The Unakoti rock carvings are among the most important pre-medieval monuments of the northeastern region of India.