Rama Manikya

Rama Manikya (d. 1676), also called Ram Manikya or Ramdev Manikya, was the Maharaja of Tripura from 1676 to 1685.

Rama Manikya
Maharaja of Tripura
Reign	1676–1685
Predecessor	Govinda Manikya
Successor	Ratna Manikya II
Died	1685
Consort	Ratnavati
Issue	Ratna Manikya II Mahendra Manikya Dharma Manikya II Mukunda Manikya
House	Manikya dynasty
Father	Govinda Manikya
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 I 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 c. 1739–1744 Indra Manikya II c. 1744–1746 Udai Manikya II c. 1744 Joy Manikya II 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 Birendra Kishore Manikya 1909–1923 Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya 1923–1947 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)
Pushbanta Palace (Royal residence)
Neermahal (Royal residence)
Rajmala (Royal chronicle)
Tripura Buranji (Chronicle)
Chaturdasa Devata (Family deities)

Life

The eldest son of Maharaja Govinda Manikya, as a prince Rama acted as one of his father's military commanders. In December 1661, he was dispatched against his rebellious uncle Nakshatra Roy and engaged him in the Battle of Amtali, during which Rama was defeated. This loss forced his father to temporarily abandon the throne and leave Tripura for a number of years.

Following Govinda's death in 1676, Rama ascended the throne, though he soon faced rebellion from his nephew Dwarika Thakur. The latter assumed the royal title Narendra Manikya and with the aid of Nasir Muhammad, the Afghan Nawab of Sarail, overthrew Rama. The deposed king turned to the Mughal governor of Bengal, Shaista Khan, for aid. The latter dispatched his army in Rama's support, allowing him to recapture the throne, with Khan taking Narendra captive to Dhaka.

At some point, Rama led an incursion north towards Sylhet, reaching as far as the city borders. In Tripura itself, he performed extensive infrastructure development, excavating several tanks (reservoirs) and erecting temples. One such was in honour of Vishnu (suggesting a personal affinity with Vaishnavism) as well as repairing the Temple of Tripura Sundari, which had previously been damaged from lightning strike. Many villages located throughout modern-day Tripura State and Bangladesh are named in his honour.

Rama died in old age in 1685, with his consort Ratnavati performing Sati in his funeral pyre. He was succeeded by his son Ratna Manikya II, at the time only five years old.