Trip for (to) Tripura
Coming back from Tripura was not so pleasant
experience. Boss summoned immediate departure, one, and two, I wished I
had bought a home in there before I came back.
Our favourite
Wikipedia has a lot of incorrect or dated information about Tripura, I
guess. People are no more landless peasants there. If I go by my
statistic instinct, I at least saw 1 Nano (at least) per 5 households.
Almost everybody has government provided
electricity, enjoys satellite TV. 90% of them would work only for 7
hours a day, as the working day begins around 10am and ends around 5pm.
Rest of them are Police force, Army personnel, Traffic Police and daily
wagers. In six days of stay, I could spot only two beggars. I saw
Traffic Police, at every “chowmuhani”, even when there are no vehicles
on road.
People seemed happy and relaxed, yet active. I did not see
the people who help keep the place clean, but the state looks clean and
GREEN. Neatly constructed roads are available till the remotest
villages. Paths paved with bricks, then, take you to the homes of
tribals. Bengalis hesitate to go into the tribal area (because of
the 'now-non-existant' revolt), but do not hesitate to mention that
tribals are kind hearted.
Very few people migrate out of Tripura. They usually go shopping to Kolkata and Mumbai, but not to earn bread.
Tribal women spend months on weaving their own clothes, and sometimes
sell their beautiful creation for Rs.200 or less, which our famous 'NAB'
India sells at Rs.1000+.
Almost everybody seems to have either
rubber & bamboo plantation, pig farming as a side business. As
rightly said by our guide "everybody has money... some have more, some
have little less than others"
So... finally I found a one happy state in India.
