In Agartala, Tripura, Chief Minister Manik Saha kicked off a three‑day Diwali festival and mela on Monday at the historic Mata Tripura Sundari temple in Udaipur, the southern part of Gomati district. The temple, one of India’s 51 Shakti Peethas, is a major pilgrimage site for Hindus.
Before the official opening, Manik Saha, his wife Swapna Saha and several cabinet ministers performed a puja ceremony at the temple. The CM then toured the site with visitors and spread festive cheer.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is running two special trains for the festival: Agartala‑Dharmanagar‑Agartala and Agartala‑Sabroom‑Agartala. These trains will operate from October 20 to 22 to handle the heavy influx of pilgrims. Thousands of devotees from across India travel to Udaipur each year to celebrate Diwali and attend the mela.
Last year, hundreds of visitors from Bangladesh joined the celebrations. This year, the number of foreign attendees dropped sharply after political unrest in Bangladesh. To keep the festival safe, the local police chief Kiran Kumar K announced that over 3,000 security personnel—including the Tripura State Rifles (TSR)—would be on duty. Thirty‑seven CCTV cameras and ten watchtowers will monitor the temple complex 24/7. Officers from the district police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will patrol the area, and volunteer security teams will help manage crowds. Regular vehicle checks and intensified patrolling aim to prevent any incidents.
On September 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened a newly redeveloped Mata Tripura Sundari temple. The shrine, constructed in 1501 by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya, now stands after a major restoration funded by the PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme. The Union Tourism Ministry contributed ₹34.43 crore, while the Tripura government added ₹17.61 crore, bringing the project cost to over ₹54 crore.
The temple’s history dates back 524 years. After monarchy ended in 1949 when Tripura merged with India, the site has remained a vital spiritual hub. Today, it ranks as the eastern India’s third Shakti Peetha, following Kolkata’s Kali temple and Guwahati’s Kamakhya temple.
The three‑day Diwali mela promises bright lights, cultural performances, and a deep sense of community for worshipers and visitors alike.
Source: ianslive
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