History

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 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.
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 (Satrabhug) on the west bank of Dried Bhagirathi- Hooghly ( Adiganga)in south 24 Pgs under the Diamond Harbour subdivision near Sundarbon where King Kalinda 27 th descendants( 34 th from Chandra) of Drajhu of old tripura dynasty set up first Tripura Sundari 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. 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.
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 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.