The Archaeological Remains of Unakuti: An Empirical Study

The famous archaeological site of unakuti is situated on a hillock. This site is significant in the context of culture that unakuti remains represent. The Rock-carvings and stone images of unakuti deities depict the Brahmanical divinities of the Hindu pantheon, though tribal notions were there. The artistic skill of the sculptor was rudimentary and crude and it touches the primitive art. It also adhered to the Eastern Indian idioms. So it can attribute a Tantric-Buddhist origin of the cult spot. The Tripura royal house had their own ancestral deities. Therefore, the royal patronage had never shown any special regards for the Unakuti deities. It is the tribal Riangs and other sub-castes performed rituals at the sites on the occasions of Poush Sankranti and Ashokastomi in their own fashion. The early Tibeto-Burman or the kiratas who came in to contact with saivism at an early date were the authors of the unakuti remains. The kirata artists dominated by their tribal traits took the fullest advantage to manifest their genius on the surface of the rock with their tribal notions blended with the Brahmanical influence. The cultural consideration and political stability of the region influenced the artists of the unakuti complex to produce more articulated works in an unconventional way.