PM Modi, Amit Shah invited to inaugurate 524-year-old Tripura Sundari temple

Agartala, Feb 24 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to inaugurate the newly-redeveloped Tripura Sundari temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas worshipped by Hindus in southern Tripura’s Udaipur, a minister said here on Monday. Tripura Tourism and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that under the PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme of the Union Tourism Ministry, the 524-year-old Tripura Sundari temple has been redeveloped at a cost of over Rs 52 crore. The Tripura government also contributed Rs 7 crore to this project, the minister said, adding that the construction agency would hand over the newly redeveloped temple to the government. “The priests of the temple as per the Hindu religious calendar suggested that April 7 is the perfect date for the inauguration of the redeveloped temple. CM during his recent visit to Delhi has invited the PM and HM to inaugurate the redeveloped temple. Now They would finalise the date for the inauguration of the redeveloped temple as per their convenience,” Chowdhury told the media. He said that the Tripura Sundari temple in southern Tripura’s Gomati district is an iconic temple and it is a symbol of the state’s rich cultural heritage, and the Prime Minister’s inauguration of the redeveloped temple would be a testament to its significance. The Tripura Sundari temple, set up in 1501 by the state’s erstwhile king Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in Udaipur, 65 km south of Agartala, is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in the country, and the third such shrine in eastern India after the Kali temple in Kolkata’s Kalighat, and the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. A Tripura government official said that the redevelopment work of the Tripura Sundari temple is almost completed. The remaining construction is expected to be completed very soon. At the end of the 517-year rule by hundreds of kings, on October 15, 1949, the erstwhile princely state of Tripura came under the control of the Indian government after a merger agreement was signed between Kanchan Prabha Devi, then regent Maharani, and the Indian Governor General. The official said that to develop and protect the spiritual heritage, the Union Tourism Ministry has recently approved a Rs 97.70 crore project to develop a 51-Shakti Peethas Park in southern Tripura’s Banduar. The proposed park has a religious significance as the place is just 4 km away from the Tripura Sundari temple. According to the official, the site of the proposed 51-Shakti Peethas Park at Banduar is a quiet village in the Gomati district surrounded by lush greenery and a serene environment. The area also offers a tranquil setting. “The 51 Shakti Peethas Park is an ambitious religious tourism project that would be developed in Banduar village. This unique project aims to create an immersive experience for visitors by showcasing replicas of the 51 Shakti Peeth temples from across the Indian sub-continent, symbolising the rich cultural and spiritual heritage associated with Shakti (Devi) worship in Hinduism,” the official said. He said that the park would feature a range of amenities designed to enhance the overall visitor experience, including a food court with adequate seating, a souvenir shop, drinking water facilities, well-constructed roads with parking, public conveniences, guest accommodation, landscaped gardens, museums dedicated to mythology, and a range of entertainment activities. –PM Modi