Lakshman Manikya


Lakshman Manikya was the Maharaja of Tripura during the mid-18th-century, though he maintained little actual power, having acted only as a puppet-monarch under Shamsher Gazi.

Life

A grandson of Dharma Manikya II, he was originally named Banamali Thakur. His father, Gangadhar Thakur, had previously launched a rebellion against the ruling Joy Manikya II, taking the name "Uday Manikya", though his attempted rule was short-lived.
In 1748, control of Tripura was taken by Shamsher Gazi, a Muslim zamindar. Facing opposition from the kingdom's citizens, Gazi placed Banamali on the throne under the name Lakshman Manikya, though actual power remained with the former. This continued for three years, though Lakshman failed to gain the support of the population. Eventually, he was dislodged by Gazi who took the throne for himself, though his rule was similarly short, with the original dynasty reclaiming the power in 1760.
His son Durga Manikya also later became ruler of Tripura, reigning from 1809 to 1813.