Agartala: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the newly redeveloped Tripura Sundari temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas worshipped by Hindus in southern Tripura’s Udaipur, on September 22, officials said here on Sunday.
A senior official of the Tripura government said that the Prime Minister’s schedule to visit Tripura has not yet been finalised, and September 22 is a tentative date to inaugurate the redeveloped Tripura Sundari temple.
“Senior officials, including Director General of Police Anurag, on Saturday visited Gomati district headquarters in Udaipur to supervise the possible arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, accompanied by other ministers, is likely to visit on Sunday or Monday to oversee the probable arrangements for PM Modi’s visit and inauguration of the temple,” the official told IANS, refusing to be named.
Tripura Chief Minister earlier invited the Prime Minister to inaugurate the newly redeveloped Tripura Sundari temple at Udaipur, 65 km south of Agartala.
The official 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 Tripura Sundari temple in southern Tripura’s Gomati district is an iconic temple and is a symbol of the state’s rich cultural heritage. The Prime Minister’s inauguration of the redeveloped temple would be a testament to its significance, the official said.
The temple, built in 1501 by the state’s erstwhile king Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in Udaipur, 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.
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 had approved an Rs 97.70 crore project to develop a 51-Shakti Peethas Park in southern Tripura’s Banduar. The proposed park has religious significance as the place is just 4 km away from the Tripura Sundari temple.
Tripura Chief Minister laid the foundation stone and participated in the Bhumi Pujan of the 51-Shakti Peethas Park on July 13. 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 stated.
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.
(IANS)
