Tripura Sundari Temple

Tripura Sundari Temple
Geography
Country India
State Tripura
District Gomati
Location Udaipur, 55 km from Agartala
Culture
Sanctum

Tripura Sundari (Lalita) or Tripureshwari

(Bhairav- Tripuresh Bhairav)
Major festivals Diwali, Durga Puja
Architecture
Architecture Bengali
History
Date built 1501
Creator Maharaja Dhanya Manikya Dev

Tripura Sundari Temple is situated in the ancient Udaipur, about 55 km from Agartala, Tripura believed to be one of the holiest Hindu shrines in this part of the country. Popularly known as Matabari, crowns in a small hillock and is served by the red-robed priests who traditionally, minister to the mother goddess Tripura Sundari. Considered to be one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, consists of a square type sanctum of the typical Bengali hut. It is believed that Sati's right foot fell here during Lord Shiva's Dance. The temple consist a square type sanctum with a conical dome. It was constructed by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in 1501A.D, there are two identical images of the same deity inside the temple. They are known as Tripura Sundari (5 feet high) and Chhotima (2 feet high) in Tripura. The idol of Kali is worshiped at the temple of Tripura Sundari in the form of 'Soroshi'. One is made of kasti stone which is reddish black in colour. It is believed that the idol was Chhotima was carried by king in battlefield. This temple is also known as Kurma Pitha because it the temple premises resembles kurma i.e. tortoise. Every year on Diwali, a famous Mela takes place near the temple which is visited by more than two lakhs pilgrims.

Legend

Legend has it that king Dhanyamanikya who ruled Tripura in the closing years of the 15th century, had a revelation one night in his dream, ordering him to install Goddess Tripurasundari in the temple that stood on a hilltop near the town of Udaipur. The temple was already dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and the king was confounded initially, unable to decide how a temple dedicated to Vishnu could have an idol of the consort of Shiva. However, the oracle repeated the divine injunction to the king once again the following night, thereafter the ruler decided to obey the ethereal command, notwithstanding the fact that Vishnu and Shiva typified two different sects of religious following. Thus, the Tripura Sundari temple came into being in around the year 1501, and is now about 500 years old. This legend is recounted as an example of solidarity between the two sub groups, the Vaishnava and Shaiva sects.

About the temple

Goddess Parvati is worshipped here as Tripurasundari, Tripureshwari and "Soroshi" (a local variation of the name). The temple is a small, square edifice, measuring just 24 square feet (7 square metres) at the base with a height of 75 feet (24m approximately). The structure of the shrine resembles that of a tortoise, with a roof shaped like the humped back of a tortoise. For this reason, the shrine is also known as "Koorma Peetha" (Koorma meaning Tortoise). As in other typical Hindu shrines, stalls along the approach road sell flowers and baskets of offerings that visitors can buy and take up to be offered to Tripura Sundari and returned as Prasadam. A specialty here is the sweet, brown, condensed milk Pedas that devotees carry back from the temple, to be distributed among family and friends back home. The red hibiscus flower is also prized as an offering.

There is another Tripura sundari temple in Chhatrabhog[1] (Satrabhug) on the west bank of Dried Bhagirathi- Hooghly ( Adiganga)[2]in south 24 Pgs under the Diamond Harbour subdivision near Sundarbon where King Kalinda[3] 27 th descendants( 34 th from Chandra) of Drajhu of old tripura dynasty set up first Tripura Sundari[4] idol(Made by Wood) .That place was called Ganga Sagar region ( Ganga Confluence) from ancient time up to 18 th century.In an oldest Tantrick book Kubzika Tantram ( composed in 8- 9th century ) there was a shakti Peeth in Ganga sagar. as there was no peeth found So Chhatrabhog was ancient shakti Peeth. This area was present still now Tripura King's fatherland. From foreign traders source collected by Rev.James long published in journal of Asiatic Society (Vol- XIX) in 1850 that there was about five port town was present one of the port name was Tiparia[5]. So that Tiparia city or town was the fatherland of old Tripura Dynasty.Here they set up a Shiv Temple named Ambulinga that is actually Bhairab of Goddess Tripura Sundari. That temple of old Tribeg kingdom is still now there. Original line quoted from Sanskrit Raj Ratnakar:

                                   Tribegat purbo deshe samondiram  sumonohorng I
                                   Nirmayo Sthapoyomas Tripurasundari porang II
                                  Choturbhujaong  darumoyeeing jothokto bidhi purbokong I
                                   Adyopi bortote Rajano sa murti  suprothishtit II
                       (Quoted from  Rajn Ratnakar, Daksmin Vibhag 1 st Editiotion 6-7 rhymes)[6]
The inhabitant of Chhatrabhog regards a  wooden icon along with a small stone( Adi Shila) which is actually breast part(Chhatra) as ancient form of Tripura sundari Devi.Her name repeatedly referred (as Tripura or tripuri) in many literature (i.e Kavikankan Chandi)[7] of mediavel age.One of the Muslim handwritten manuscript "Gorai gajir Keccha" that is composed in 14 th century( 1300-1350 A.D.)of Ketabuddin Mina mentioned Tripuri Math of this Chhatrabhog Region. That book is preserved in Asiatic Society Kolkata.

Sanskrit Raj Ratnakar or ( 1 st Edition of this book published by King of Tripura) that book which is considered authentic in this regard say that having oracle/dream, King Dhanamanikya brought that stone idol(Chotima)from Chhattagram[8] is actually Chhateswari not in the name Tripura Sundari.This incident proves that before 1501 A.D. there was only Peethas of ( not included 51) in Udaipur, and Kalika puran is composed on later. It is needed more Research.

The Temple as a Shakti Peeth - Daksha Yaga and Sati's Self Immolation

Shiva carrying the corpse of Sati Devi

The mythology of Daksha yaga and Sati's self immolation had immense significance in shaping the ancient Sanskrit literature and even had impact on the culture of India. It led to the development of the concept of Shakti Peethas and there by strengthening Shaktism. Enormous mythological stories in puranas took the Daksha yaga as the reason for its origin. It is an important incident in Shaivism resulting in the emergence of Shree Parvati in the place of Sati Devi and making Shiva a grihastashrami (house holder) leading to the origin of Ganapathy and Subrahmanya.[9]

Shakti Peethas are shrines or divine places of the Mother Goddess. These are places that are believes to have enshrined with the presence of Shakti due to the falling of body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered throughout Aryavartha in sorrow. There are 51 Shakti Peeth linking to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each temple have shrines for Shakti and Kalabhairava and mostly the each temple associates different names to Shakti and Kalabhairava in that temple.Concept of 51 Shakti Peethas are not found in old Sanskrit literature(i.e Veda or Upanishad. Kalika puran is composed at near about 18th Century. In another previous Puran( i.e. Matsya Puran, Bayu Puran) or Sanskrit literature, there is no trace of 51 Shakti Peethas. So 51 Peethas are the new conception.

Animal sacrifice

The offering of animal sacrifices is a very popular custom. Goats with garlands round their necks, as offerings. A notice board lists the charges for buffalo sacrifices. Goats are sacrifices daily except Doshomi & one buffalo is sacrifices at the night of Amavasya.

Kalyan Sagar

kalyan Sagar...

Kalyan Sagar lies in the eastern side of the temple. Spreading over 6.4 acres, with a length of 224 yards and width of 160 yards this large expanse of water adds a dimension of great beauty to the temple precincts, with hills rising picturesquely in the background. The water is full of Tortoises, some of them quite large, that come up to the shore looking for crumbs of food that visitors buy at the nearby stalls and feed to these reptiles, as part of the rituals. Devotees feed them with "muri" and biscuits. Fishing is not permitted in the Kalyan Sagar. A big lake Kalyan Sagar just down to the Hillock at the backside of the Temple adds to its beauty. This natural pond has varieties of aqua species. The area of the Kalyan Sagar Lake is 2.752 acre. The lake is considered sacred and devotees worship the fishes and tortoises present here. Kalyan Sagar is famous for very rare species of tortoise in large numbers. The Matabari Temple Committee is cementing the banks of Kalyan Sagar Lake for the last 2–3 years. The water of the lake became acidic due to destruction of the ecosystem around the lake. This has resulted in death of tortoise, as the cemented embankments spoiled the natural habitat as well as places for laying eggs for this turtles. As an amphibian it is extremely essential for the tortoise to have sandy exposure, which is not available in the lake after the construction of walls around the water body. Death of at least 7 tortoise have been reported in the last 6 months. Carrying of plastic poly bags are banned in and around Matarbari Temple area since 1998, even before the banning order issued by Tripura State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) for the entire State of Tripura on 21 January 2002. But visitors, tourists, pilgrims and devotees are throwing plastic carry bags every day into the lake. As a result, the bed of the lake is now full of polythene/plastics bags. To assess the situation and the state of the natural habitat of the tortoise, a team of TSPCB consisting of Scientist and Engineer visited the lake and interacted with the local people on March 22, 2003. To check the water quality of the lake, TSPCB collected water samples from four locations of the lake and analyzed the different parameters of the water quality. The results of the study show that the water quality of the lake is very good and even drinkable. According to the experts, it is only the construction of the embankments that increased the mortality of the turtles.

References

  1. ↑ Chhatrabhog
  2. ↑ Adi Ganga
  3. ↑ Discovery of North-East India: Geography, History, Culture, Religion, Politics, Sociology, Science, Education and Economy. Tripura. Volume eleven, Volume 11 page 5, ISBN 8183240453, 9788183240451Rajmala
  4. ↑ Discovery of North East India Vol-11 page-5 edited by S.K.Sharma & Usha Sharma published Mittal Publication New Delhi 110059 ISBN No : 81-8324-045-3
  5. ↑ Discovery of North East India, Lune Descandants of Luner Dynasty, Vol-11 page 6,Edited by S. K Sharma and Usha Sharma,Mittal Publication, New Delhi-110059, ISBN 8183240453, 9788183240451
  6. ↑ Sundarboner Shaktipith: Chhatrabhog , Devishankar Middya ,6th Chapter page-95 published by Nazibul Islam Mondal from Samakaler Jion Kathi Prakashon in 2017 ISBN 978-81-9319-13-9-2.
  7. ↑ http://dspace.wbpublibnet.gov.in:8080/jspui/handle/10689/1712. Kabikankankan Chandi Part-II (In Bengali) , Chakraborti Mukundaram, Indian Press Limited, Allahabad, India Issue date 1921,page--203
  8. ↑ http://www.tripura.org.in/tripureswari.htm
  9. ↑ "Kottiyoor Devaswam Temple Administration Portal". kottiyoordevaswom.com/. Kottiyoor Devaswam. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  • Details about the Temple
  • Mata Bari Temple
  • Tripura Sundari Temple
  • shreetripurasundari Temple in Rajasthan
  • "SATHGURU SRI SESHADRI SWAMIGAL BRINDAVANAM TRUST". seshadri.info. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
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