JACKSON GATE

NEWS

• The Tripura government has announced plans to reconstruct the Jackson Gate in Agartala, a royal-era landmark demolished in 1981.
• The decision has revived debates on heritage conservation, historical memory, and cultural identity.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF JACKSON GATE

• Built in 1929 on Central Road, Agartala
• Served as the grand gateway to Ujjayanta Palace, seat of the Manikya dynasty
• Constructed to mark the visit of Sir Francis Stanley Jackson, Governor of Bengal
• Commissioned by Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur
• Design features:
  • Inspired by Hyderabad’s Charminar
  • Four minars, ~30 feet high and 25 feet wide
  • Concrete bridge over the Akhaura Canal
• Symbolised:
  • Royal diplomacy
  • Colonial-era engagement
  • Vision of Agartala as a planned city

DEMOLITION IN 1981

• Ordered by the Left Front government
• Official reason:
  • Narrow structure hindering road widening
• Criticisms:
  • Ideological opposition to monarchy
  • Lack of conservation mindset
• Seen by historians as a loss of cultural and architectural heritage

WHY RECONSTRUCTION MATTERS

• Helps Agartala reconnect with a forgotten chapter of its past
• Reinforces the idea that:
  • Heritage structures represent collective memory
  • Governments have a moral responsibility to preserve history
• May draw attention to other neglected royal-era sites in Tripura