Agartala, Nov 8 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Sunday evening inaugurated the three-day Diwali festival at the historic 525-year-old Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in the state’s Gomati district.
The Chief Minister said that the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple, built in 1501 by erstwhile Maharaja Dhanya Manikya, who ruled the princely state of Tripura from 1490 to 1515, is widely renowned across the country as well as in neighbouring countries.
He added that following the inauguration of the redeveloped Mata Tripura Sundari Temple by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 22, 2025, the number of devotees and visitors to the shrine had increased threefold.
“Mata Tripura Sundari Temple is one of the major religious tourism destinations in the entire Northeastern region. The government wants to increase the income of traders, generate employment opportunities and facilitate people-to-people relations through religious tourism,” CM Saha said, who also holds the Information and Cultural Affairs portfolio.
The impressive drone show at the sacred Mata Tripura Sundari Temple premises emerged as one of the major attractions of this year’s Diwali celebrations.
The Chief Minister said that the mesmerising display of lights in the night sky, featuring the map of India alongside captivating representations of Tripura’s rich culture, traditions and heritage, was truly awe-inspiring.
CM Saha also added that the remarkable blend of modern technology with the state’s glorious cultural heritage had added a unique dimension to the festive celebrations.
The vibrant display of lights across the sky was not merely a visual spectacle but also a proud representation of Tripura’s distinct cultural identity and rich traditions.
Local MLA Abhishek Debroy and Gomati District Magistrate Rinku Lather said that all necessary arrangements and several initiatives undertaken to make this year’s celebrations more attractive and memorable.
“We expect more than 10 lakh devotees and visitors, including a record number of women from across the country, to converge at the three-day festival. It is one of the biggest Diwali festivals in the entire Northeastern region,” Debroy told the media.
To accommodate the additional rush of passengers during the Diwali festival, the Northeast Frontier Railway has arranged to operate special trains from Sunday to Tuesday.
An official of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department said that besides, beautifully decorated government exhibition stalls and special thematic stalls showcasing Tripura’s rich heritage, traditional culture and indigenous cuisine have been set up within the temple complex.
The official also added that a special sand sculpture depicting the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple atop a tortoise, symbolising the shrine’s unique religious and cultural identity, would be another major attraction of the festival.
–IANS
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