Agartala, Oct 20 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Tripura, Manik Saha, officially opened a three-day Diwali festival and mela at the revered Mata Tripura Sundari temple, which is among the 51 Shakti Peethas significant to Hindus, located in Udaipur, within the southern region of Tripura’s Gomati district.

Before the formal inauguration of the festival, the Chief Minister, along with his wife Swapna Saha and several Cabinet members, participated in puja at this historic temple.

Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury announced that the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is running two special trains—Agartala–Dharmanagar–Agartala and Agartala–Sabroom–Agartala—for the duration of the festival (October 20 to 22) to accommodate the large influx of passengers.

Every year, thousands of devotees from across the nation partake in these celebrations.

In previous years, numerous participants from Bangladesh have joined the Diwali festival, but due to last year’s political unrest in the neighboring country, attendance has significantly dropped. The Gomati district Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran Kumar K emphasized that comprehensive security measures are in place to ensure safety during the three-day event.

More than 3,000 security personnel, including members from the Tripura State Rifles (TSR), have been assigned to maintain order. Thirty-seven CCTV cameras and ten watchtowers have been strategically placed around the temple for continuous monitoring, according to the IPS officer.

Forces from the district police and the CRPF are present, along with hundreds of volunteers tasked with managing the anticipated crowds. Regular vehicle inspections and increased patrolling are also being conducted to avert any incidents.

On a related note, fulfilling a long-standing public request, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Mata Tripura Sundari temple on September 22, where he also offered prayers at the Kali temple.

An official from the Tourism Department noted that the temple's redevelopment, part of the PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) initiative by the Union Tourism Ministry, cost over Rs 54 crore. The Central government contributed Rs 34.43 crore, while the Tripura government added Rs 17.61 crore.

Constructed in 1501 by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya, the temple is among the 51 Shakti Peethas in India and ranks as the third such site in eastern India, following the Kali temple in Kolkata’s Kalighat and the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati.

After 517 years of monarchy, the erstwhile princely state of Tripura merged with the Indian Union on October 15, 1949, through an agreement between Kanchan Prabha Devi, the then regent Maharani, and the Governor-General of India.