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Tripura Sundari Temple, Matabari
Matabari is one of the most important temple towns of Tripura. The ancient temple of Matabari or Tripura Sundari in located on a hill top. This temple is one of the 51 pithasthans in India as per Hindu Mythology.
As per mythology, Lord Vishnu had cut off the body of Mata Sati into 51 pieces using the Sudarshana Chakra and all these places where the pieces fell came to be known as pithasthans. It is said that the ‘right foot’ of Mata Sati fell at Matabari.
This pithasthan is also known as Kurma Pith because the shape of the temple premises resembles that of a ‘Kurma’ (tortoise). Maa Kali is worshipped in her ‘Soroshi’ form in this temple.
The temple consists of a square type sanctum of the typical Bengali hut type structure with a conical dome. The temple was constructed in 1501 A. D. by the then Maharaja Dhanya Manikya.
Legends tell us that the king had received divine orders in his dreams to build a temple dedicated to Goddess Tripura Sundari, an incarnation of Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. The spot was already dedicated to Lord Vishnu and it was not possible for his consort to share the same abode but he executed the order after the command was repeated in his dream.
On the eastern side of the temple, King Dhana Manikya had built a pond which is believed to be 500 years old and is home to a large number of tortoises deeply revered by the devotees who also feed them with muri and other edibles.
