St. Francis de Sales Parish – Amarpur

Amarpur Parish is situated in the Burburia–Gamakubaria area near Garjangkhola village, about 86 km from Agartala town in Tripura. The parish was officially erected on November 16, 2014, by Most Rev. Lumen Monteiro, Bishop of Agartala, and entrusted to the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales (MSFS). Fr Pratap Kerketta was appointed as the first Parish Priest.

This mission is the third MSFS mission and the second parish entrusted to the congregation in the Diocese of Agartala.

Parish Villages

The parish consists of 18 villages, out of which 14 have Catholic communities. These villages are:

Raibahadur, Kalamati, Tiyari, Muibua, Burburia, Gamakubari, Kachima, Devbari, Yaphro, Tingoria, Mandwi, Chechua, Nograi, and Bongshikami.

The other four villages in the parish territory are Satakarapara, Garjangkhola, Koroimura, and Malbasa.

Most of these villages are located in interior hill areas and are inhabited mainly by tribal communities. Poor road connectivity and limited access to education and healthcare are common challenges faced by the people in these regions.

Demographic Profile

The parish territory includes about 3,360 families with a total population of approximately 13,546 people (6,683 males and 6,866 females). Among them, there are about 165 Catholic families with a Catholic population of around 703 faithful spread across the 18 villages.

The tribal communities primarily belong to the Reang, Jamatia, and Debbarma tribes. The Reang people speak the Reang dialect, while the Jamatia and Debbarma communities use the Kokborok language. The non-tribal Bengali population mainly speaks Bangla and follows Hindu religious traditions.

Livelihood and Lifestyle

Most of the people in this region depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Many practice traditional “Jhum” (shifting) cultivation and rubber plantation farming. Others earn their income through daily wage labor and by selling forest products such as firewood and bamboo.

Development of the Parish

To strengthen the mission and provide better facilities for pastoral activities, a presbytery was constructed for the parish. The presbytery was blessed on December 22, 2016, by Bishop Lumen Monteiro and inaugurated by Fr George Panthanmackel, the then Provincial of the MSFS Northeast India Province.

Sisters of the Destitute (SD)

The Sisters of the Destitute assist the parish in various ministries. They actively contribute to educational, pastoral, medical, and social services in the mission area, helping to improve the quality of life for the local community.