The Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur was something I didn’t know much about until my team and I found a hotel nearby. We had just arrived in Udaipur, Tripura, for a week-long North-East Chess Tournament (December 17-21). When we got to the Udaipur Railway Station, I was surprised by its palace-like structure. I couldn’t believe I was in North-East India and not in Rajasthan!
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Nearby, we discovered Kalyan Sagar, a lovely pond filled with different kinds of fish and tortoises. Devotees often feed the fish in the pond. We were told that we shouldn’t miss the Sandhya Aarati, which is a special evening prayer service. On the last evening of our stay at Mata Bari, we visited the temple.
We arrived at the temple around 6 PM, just in time for the aarti. We gave our offerings to the pujari (priest) along with our names and gotra (clan) that we bought from one of the shops. People of all ages, mostly women, were sitting in front of the statue of Mata. We joined them and listened to the beautiful sounds of clapping, drumbeats, and ringing bells during the aarti. Afterward, we bowed our heads and received blessings from the goddess.
The
temple is on a hill shaped like a tortoise, known as Kurmapṛṣṭhākṛti, which
adds to its spiritual importance. According to legend, a part of Sati's right
foot fell here, making it one of the Shakti Peethas. The main shrine was built
in 1501 CE by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya and features the Bengali Ek-Ratna
architectural style. Inside, there are two black stone idols: the larger one of
Tripura Sundari, which is 5 feet tall, and the smaller one, Chhoto-Ma (Little
Mother), representing Goddess Chandi, which stands at 2 feet.
Visiting
the Tripura Sundari Temple was a memorable experience, filled with beauty,
spirituality, and culture!
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