Tripura Sundari Temple is a unique sacred place to visit in Tripura that attracts lakhs of tourists every year.
As per legends found in Hindu scriptures, this Shakti Peeth located in the town of Udaipur is the holy place where the right foot of Goddess Sati fell.
The temple was built by Maharaj Dhanya Manikya in the year 1501.
It is believed that the king had a dream one night in which Goddess Tripura Sundari instructed him to start Her worship at the designated spot where the temple is now located.
When the king found out that the holy spot which originally had a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, he was initially perplexed but later decided to go ahead with the construction of Tripura Sundari Temple upon realization that there is only one God who is worshipped in different forms.
He carried the idol of Mata Tripurasundari which is made up of Kasti stone from Chittagong of Bangladesh and installed it in the temple.
The idol which is reddish black in colour is of 1.57 meters long and 0.64 metres in width and installed on a stone platform.
Popularly known as Matabari Temple, this religious place is also called Koorma (tortoise) Peeth as the structure of the shrine resembles that of a tortoise, with a roof shaped like the humped back of this reptile.
The temple is a small, square edifice, measuring just 24 square feet at the base with a height of 75 feet which consists of a square type sanctum with a conical dome of the typical Bengali hut
There are seven pots or pitchers at the top of the temple along with a flag.
People of different religions flocks to the temple daily to offer prayers to Goddess Tripura Sundari.
One of the main attractions of the temple is the beautiful lake known as Kalyansagar spread over an area of 6.4 acres.
This pristine water body, , with a length of 224 yards and width of 160 yards, is a haven of varieties of aquatic species.
According to Gazinama (the biography of 18th century ruler Shamsher Gazi), Gazi himself offered prayers at the temple after conquering Udaipur in Tripura
It is even customary now for the Muslim people of Udaipur to offer the first crops and milk to the Goddess.
Tripura Sundari Temple is presently run by Mata Tripura Sundari Temple Trust which comprises of ministers and officers of the government of Tripura.
Puja is offered twice daily at the temple and Annabhog prasad can be taken by booking coupon of Rs. 50/- in advance. Arati is offered at daily in the morning and evening.
How to Reach :
The nearest airport is the Agartala Airport located at a distance of 60 km. The nearest railway station is Matabari Rail Station situated at a distance of 2 kms from the temple. Buses and small vehicles are also available from Agartala located at a distance of 60 km.
Where to Stay :
You can also book your stay at any of the hotels in Udaipur through websites such as makemytrip.com or booking.com