Matabari Diwali Mahotsav begins as CM Manik Saha opens festival

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha formally opened the three-day Diwali Mahotsav at the Mata Tripura Sundari temple in Matabari, Udaipur, on Sunday, November 8, Tripurainfo reported. The festival runs until Tuesday, November 10.

The temple complex and the area around it have been lit up for the occasion. On the opening day the Chief Minister took part in the Kalyan Arati at Kalyan Sagar, the lake beside the temple, and a special yajna was held inside the temple premises.

Ministers expected over three days

Ministers Sushanta Chowdhury, Tinku Roy and Pranjit Singh Roy, BJP state president Abhishek Debroy and other members of the state cabinet were scheduled to visit the temple during the festival, according to the report.

The programme includes special pujas, cultural performances and a drone show alongside the illumination. Earlier reports had said a 500-drone display was planned as part of this year's celebrations.

Crowds and security

Tripura Times reported long queues outside the shrine from early on Sunday morning, with thousands of pilgrims from across Tripura and neighbouring states waiting to enter the sanctum, and temple authorities and volunteers managing the crowds through the day. Tripurainfo said police acted against people who entered the temple complex wearing footwear, which is not allowed inside the premises, and that crowd management and traffic control remained the main challenges as thousands of visitors were expected.

The state had earlier said about 2,200 security personnel would be deployed for the festival. Northeast Frontier Railway is also running special trains to Udaipur to handle the rush of devotees from Agartala and other parts of the state.

A major pilgrimage

The Tripura Sundari temple, also called Tripureswari, is counted among the 51 Shakti Peethas and is one of the most visited religious sites in the North East. Its Diwali fair draws pilgrims from across Tripura as well as from neighbouring states, and is the biggest annual event in Gomati district.

The temple is in Udaipur, roughly 60 km south of Agartala. Visitors are advised to follow the instructions of police and temple authorities, avoid carrying footwear into the complex, and plan travel in advance because traffic is heavy on the Agartala-Udaipur route during the festival.