Other Spellings / Synonyms: Tipra, Tipperah

Religion: Hindu

Language: Various dialects of Kokborok

Regional Spread: Mainly Tripura in North East India

Traditional Occupation: Agriculture and allied activities. Many Tripuri people are also engaged in the production of handicraft, particularly made of bamboo.

Population: Approximately 7 lakhs

Marriage Preference:
In a traditional Tripuri system of marriage the negotiation between two families is made by a marriage broker. He is known as Raibai or Andra in Reang dialect. In finalizing a marriage the parents or the guardians play the sole role. The bride or the groom had no choice. At present Hamjaklai Kaijakmani or love marriages are also becoming popular amongst Tripuris. The Tripuri society is generally free from dowry system but nowadays some peoples have started demanding dowry.

Related Tribes:
The indigenous Tripuri people comprises of various hill tribal communities viz Tipra, Reang, Jamatia, Kaipeng, Noatia, Koloi, Murasing, Halam, Uchoi etc.

History and Origin:
The Tripuris are considered part of the Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group. Originally they migrated from near the upper courses of the Yangtze Kiang and the Hwang Ho rivers in Western China. They had left China long before the Sui dynasty came to power. At the time of migration they were animists. So it is assumed that they migrated before 65 AD, the year Buddhism was introduced in China. The common reference to the Mongoloid people as "Kiratas" and "Cinas" in the early Sanskrit texts of India unmistakably indicates that they came down to the Assam valley long before the dawn of Christian era. Tripuris entered their present country through its north-eastern corner, settled there and gradually expanded their settlement and suzerainty over the whole of Tripura.

About Tripuri People:
The Tripuri (Tipra or Tipperah) people are the original inhabitants of the state of Tripura in North East India. The Tripuri people have a rich historical, social and cultural heritage which is totally distinct from that of the mainland Indians, their distinctive culture as reflected in their dance, music, festivals, management of community affairs, dress and food habit has a strong Mongoloid Base.

The Tripuri people have been reduced to a minority in Tripura due to the large scale migration of the Bengali people since Tripura kingdom joined India from 1949.