Ananta Manikya

Ananta Manikya (d. 1567) was the Maharaja of Tripura from 1563 to 1567. A weak monarch in comparison to his predecessor, he spent his reign under the control of his influential father-in-law. He died after only a few short years of rule, potentially at the latter's hands.

Ananta Manikya
Maharaja of Tripura
Reign	1563–1567
Predecessor	Vijaya Manikya II
Successor	Udai Manikya
Died	1567
Consort	Ratnavati
House	Manikya dynasty
Father	Vijaya Manikya II
Religion	Hinduism

Kingdom of Tripura
Part of History of Tripura
Kings of Tripura Maha Manikya c. 1400–1431 Dharma Manikya I 1431–1462 Ratna Manikya I 1462–1487 Pratap Manikya 1487 Vijaya Manikya I 1488 Mukut Manikya 1489 Dhanya Manikya 1490–1515 Dhwaja Manikya 1515–1520 Deva Manikya 1520–1530 Indra Manikya I 1530–1532 Vijaya Manikya II 1532–1563 Ananta Manikya 1563–1567 Udai Manikya 1567–1573 Joy Manikya I 1573–1577 Amar Manikya 1577–1585 Rajdhar Manikya I 1586–1600 Ishwar Manikya 1600 Yashodhar Manikya 1600–1623 Interregnum 1623–1626 Kalyan Manikya 1626–1660 Govinda Manikya 1660–1661 Chhatra Manikya 1661–1667 Govinda Manikya 1661–1673 Rama Manikya 1673–1685 Ratna Manikya II 1685–1693 Narendra Manikya 1693–1695 Ratna Manikya II 1695–1712 Mahendra Manikya 1712–1714 Dharma Manikya II 1714–1725 Jagat Manikya 1725–1729 Dharma Manikya II 1729 Mukunda Manikya 1729–1739 Joy Manikya II 1739–1744 Indra Manikya II 1744–1746 Vijaya Manikya III 1746–1748 Lakshman Manikya 1740s/1750s Interregnum 1750s–1760 Krishna Manikya 1760–1783 Rajdhar Manikya II 1785–1806 Rama Ganga Manikya 1806–1809 Durga Manikya 1809–1813 Rama Ganga Manikya 1813–1826 Kashi Chandra Manikya 1826–1829 Krishna Kishore Manikya 1829–1849 Ishan Chandra Manikya 1849–1862 Bir Chandra Manikya 1862–1896 Radha Kishore Manikya 1896–1909 Birendra Kishore Manikya 1909–1923 Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya 1947–1949 1949–1978 (titular) Kirit Pradyot Manikya 1978–present (titular)
Tripura monarchy data
Manikya dynasty (Royal family)
Agartala (Capital of the kingdom)
Ujjayanta Palace (Royal residence)
Neermahal (Royal residence)
Rajmala (Royal chronicle)
Tripura Buranji (Chronicle)
Chaturdasa Devata (Family deities)

Life

Despite being born the second son of Maharaja Vijaya Manikya II, Ananta was named heir apparent by his father, his elder brother Dangar Fa having been sent to live at the court of Mukunda Deva of Odisha. The reason for this unusual succession is disputed, with the former either having been viewed as possessing the greater physical strength to rule or being born with a more auspicious horoscope.[1][2]

Following Vijaya's death in 1563, Ananta inherited an extensive and well-consolidated kingdom.[3] Described by historian Dambarudhar Nath as having been "an unworthy son of a worthy father", he proved himself to be a poor monarch, being entirely under the power of his father-in-law, the Commander-in-Chief Gopi Prasad.[4][1][5]

According to the Darrang Raj Vamsavali, a Koch royal chronicle, the Koch king Nara Narayan and his brother Chilarai invaded Tripura around this period. The ruler of Tripura at this point, tentatively identified as Ananta, is stated to have suffered a devastating defeat at their hands, losing up to 18,000 soldiers. However, the authenticity of this text is controversial, leading to the events narrated being viewed with some scepticism.[4][1]

Ananta reigned only briefly, dying in 1567. The manner of his death is uncertain, with different versions of the Rajmala either stating that it was the result of fever or that he was strangled on the orders of Gopi Prasad.[6][7] Regardless, the latter afterwards claimed the throne, adopting the name Udai Manikya. Ananta's wife Ratnavati, the new king's daughter, attempted to perform Sati on his funeral pyre, though was prevented from doing so by her father. She was later appeased by being named queen of Chandipur.[8]

References

1. Roychoudhury, Nalini Ranjan (1983). Tripura through the ages: a short history of Tripura from the earliest times to 1947 A.D. Sterling. p. 21.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
2. Singh, Jai Prakash (1980). Coinage of Bengal and Its Neighbourhood. Numismatic Society of India, Banaras Hindu University. p. 34.
3. Sarma, Ramani Mohan (1987). Political History of Tripura. Puthipatra. p. 73.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
4. Nath, Dambarudhar (1989). History of the Koch Kingdom, C. 1515-1615. Delhi: Mittal Publications. pp. 63–64. ISBN 978-81-7099-109-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
5. Sarma (1987, p. 74)
6. Roychoudhury (1983, p. 22)
7. Sarma (1987, p. 6)
8. Sarma (1987, p. 75)