The Tripura government has been criticized by an NGO for using the Durbar Hall of Ujjayanta Palace, which was once the home and headquarters of the Manikya dynasty, for hosting a dinner for delegates of the Science-20 conference during India’s G20 presidency in Agartala. M.K. Pragya Deb Burman, the Royal scion and Convenor of the
Tripura chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), stated that the Durbar Hall of the state’s icon Ujjayanta Palace, which has been respected for over 122 years in Tripura, was not meant for entertainment or dining, but for religious and important official purposes, such as the Coronation of the Rulers of Tripura.
The Science-20 conference had 150 delegates, including representatives from 12 G-20 countries, and was held in Agartala on Monday and Tuesday. Deb Burman added that even when the Ujjayanta Palace was used as the state Assembly building in the past, it was used only for official purposes.
M.K. Pragya Deb Burman further criticized the state government for holding parties in the hall, while at the same time talking about respecting India’s rich heritage. Deb Burman suggested that the dinner could have been hosted at a hotel instead. She also expressed herr concern that the Durbar Hall could be converted into a party or dining room in the future, and urged the state government to respect the historic space and give it the dignity it deserves.
The INTACH, founded in New Delhi in 1984, aims to promote heritage awareness and conservation in India.
