Agartala, Mar 11: The Tripura government has taken steps to prevent encroachment at one of the state’s most iconic worship sites — the Chaturdash Devta Temple — located around 7km from state capital Agartala.
The worship of the 14 deities at Chaturdash Devta Temple has deep historical roots.
According to tradition, during the time of the Mahabharata, Trilochana, a contemporary of Yudhisthira, ruled Tripura and worshipped these 14 gods as royal deities.
This practice was continued by the successive kings of the Manikya dynasty of the princely state.
To protect the temple’s land in Khayerpur, a high-level meeting was held on the temple premises in the presence of priests and samajpatis (community leaders).
Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya briefed reporters after the meeting on Monday.
“There have been instances of encroachment at the Chaturdash Devta Temple, and our priests and local samajpatis are deeply unhappy. I took up the matter with Chief Minister Manik Saha and local MLA Ratan Chakraborty. Today, we had a meeting to look into the matter. I am happy that the first step has been taken to stop encroachment at this sacred place,” he said.
Debbarma also pointed out that a public health centre (PHC) was being constructed on the temple premises.
“I am not against development, but the priests and tribal samajpatis must be informed about the plan to dispel all doubts. If that doesn’t happen, misunderstandings will arise,” he cautioned.
He further added, “The first meeting was held in the presence of PWD secretary Kiran Gitte, and a follow-up meeting will be held after 20 days to take remedial measures. We want to protect the tradition and culture of the indigenous people.”
The temple attracts huge crowds, especially during Kharchi Puja in July, when nearly 25 lakh devotees visit the shrine.(PTI)
