ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

Exilic Cultures on Display: Tourism, Theatre, and Appropriation in Tripura

The development of tourism in Tripura is a region with a rich cultural heritage, but also shaped by displacement. It involves complex dynamics in the preservation and appropriation of culture. This study focuses on the influence of tourism on Bengali refugee communities who settled in Tripura after the Partition and subsequent migration from Bangladesh. It looks at how the influence of tourism changes cultural expressions such as Manasa Mangal narratives, Maimansingha Gitika, Patachitra, and Gajan rituals. Spiritual saga Manasa Mangal's Behula-Lakhindar, and rural life celebration Maimansingha Gitika, now serve foreign tourists. From performative mode into more ornamented souvenirs, Patachitra, Gajan rituals, and something related to farm-based cultural quests are turned into exotic spectacles, alienating the very community this project speaks about. This research depicts the degradation of rich traditions but also demonstrates resistance as communities adapt to reclaim agency and preserve identity. It supports responsible tourism that aligns cultural preservation with community empowerment.