Maa Tripura Sundari Shakti Peeth Darshan

Highlights & Route

In the small hill state of Tripura, on a mound shaped like a tortoise’s back, stands one of the 51 Shakti Peeths: the Tripura Sundari temple at Matabari near Udaipur, built around 1501 by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya. Here the right foot of Sati is believed to have fallen, and the Goddess is worshipped in two forms, the larger Tripura Sundari and the smaller Chhoto Maa who once travelled with the kings to war. Beside the temple lies the Kalyan Sagar tank, home to large soft-shell turtles that devotees feed as a blessing.

This four-day yatra uses Agartala, the state capital, as your base. Day 2 is devoted to the Shakti Peeth, about 55 km south, with time for an unhurried darshan, the famous peda prasad and a walk around the tank. Day 3 explores Agartala and its surroundings: the white Ujjayanta Palace that now houses the state museum, the Jagannath temple, the Buddhist Benuban Vihar, the Ummaneshwar Shiva temple inside the palace compound, and the lake palace of Neermahal at Melaghar, reached by boat across Rudrasagar lake.

Agartala has direct flights from Kolkata and Guwahati, with connections from Delhi. You travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle, stay three nights in a comfortable Agartala hotel with vegetarian breakfast and dinner, and have our Dehradun coordinator on call. The package pairs naturally with our Kamakhya or Meghalaya yatras for a complete Shakti Peeth tour of the North-East.

Route

Agartala (arrival) → Matabari, Udaipur (Tripura Sundari Shakti Peeth, Kalyan Sagar) → Agartala (Ujjayanta Palace, Jagannath Temple, Ummaneshwar Temple, Benuban Buddha Vihar, Kunjaban) → Melaghar (Neermahal) → Agartala (departure)

Good to know before you book

• Agartala airport (Maharaja Bir Bikram) has direct flights from Kolkata, Guwahati and Delhi; from Dehradun the usual route is via Delhi or Kolkata. The rail link is long, so flying is recommended.
• Matabari is about 55 km from Agartala, roughly 1.5–2 hours on the Udaipur highway.
• The Diwali mela at Matabari draws more than two lakh pilgrims; it is the temple’s biggest festival but hotels and roads are packed, so book early or choose quieter dates.
• Animal sacrifice is practised at the temple on certain days; sensitive yatris can avoid the sacrifice area and our coordinator will guide you.
• Neermahal is reached by a short boat ride across Rudrasagar lake and is closed on some weekdays; we check the schedule for your dates.
• October to March is pleasant; April–May is hot and humid and June–September is the monsoon.

Darshan, puja and timing notes

The temple’s day begins with the mangal aarti and balya bhog at about 4 am. The goddess is bathed at about 8 am and the main puja begins around 9:30 am, with annabhog offered in the morning. The sandhya aarti is at about 7 pm, sheetal bhog at about 9:30 pm, and the temple closes for the night around 10 pm. Our Day 2 reaches Matabari by mid-morning, after the main puja has begun.

• Two forms of the goddess: darshan is of Tripura Sundari and the smaller Chhoto Maa beside her. Offer red hibiscus, a chunri and the temple’s famous peda, which is sold at the stalls below the steps.
• Kalyan Sagar: devotees feed puffed rice and biscuits to the turtles and fish in the tank. Buy feed at the stalls; never throw plastic into the water.
• Sacrifice area: animal sacrifice is offered on some days in a separate area. Our coordinator will guide sensitive yatris away from it.
• Best time of day: weekday mornings. Saturdays, Tuesdays and Amavasya see local crowds; Sundays bring day visitors from Agartala.

Festivals to plan around. The Diwali mela at Matabari is the biggest event of the year, drawing more than two lakh pilgrims over the festival days, with lamps around Kalyan Sagar and fairs on the roads. Navratri and Durga Puja (September–October) are also busy. In July, the Kharchi Puja at the Chaturdash Devta temple near Agartala is Tripura’s own great festival and can be combined with this yatra.

Is this yatra right for you?

This is an easy Shakti Peeth yatra with no climbing beyond a short flight of temple steps and a small boat ride to Neermahal. It suits senior citizens, couples and families completing the 51 Shakti Peeths. Tripura is humid for most of the year, so October to March is the most comfortable.

If you want to cover several North-East Peeths in one yatra, pair this with our Kamakhya Devi Darshan Yatra in Guwahati, a short flight away, or choose the Meghalaya Yatra with Nartiang and Kamakhya. Read our Shakti Peeth yatra guide to plan the rest.

How this compares with our other North-East Shakti Peeth yatras

Getting there and nearby tirthas

Unakoti in northern Tripura, with its huge rock-cut images of Shiva and other deities in a forest, is a remarkable tirtha for those with an extra day or two; the Ashokashtami fair there in March–April is its main festival. Closer to Agartala, the Chaturdash Devta temple at Old Agartala honours fourteen deities of the Tripuri royal tradition. See all our Shakti Peeth yatras.