Agartala, Sep. 8 (PTI): To boost tourism in Tripura, the state government has decided to construct 51 temples, which would be replicas of the 51 Shaktipeeths and has also started a helicopter service to Devatamura and Unnakoti hills, famous for huge-rock cut sculptures, an official said on Sunday.
The state government has already allocated 14.22 acres of land for construction of replicas of Shaktipeeths at Fulkumari in Gomati district, about 3-km away from the Tripuresari temple, a famous temple and one of the 51 Shaktipeeths, the official said.
Shaktipeeths are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in shaktism."There are 51 Shaktipeeths. Of the 51 Shaktipeeths, 38 are in India, six in Bangladesh, three in Nepal, two in Pakistan and one each in Tibet and in Sri Lanka. For common people, it is not possible to visit all the 51 Shaktipeeths.
So Tripura Tourism department has decided to construct the exact replicas of the Shaktipeeths near Tripuresari temple at Udaipur", an official of the Chief Ministers office said.
The official said, "The Tourism department has prepared a preliminary project report of Rs 44 crore for construction of the replicas of the 51 Shaktipeeths and has sent the proposal to the 15th Finance Commission for consideration for funding the project."
The state Tourism department has also started a helicopter service for tourists to get an aerial view of rock-cut carvings at Devatamura in Gomati district and Unakoti at Unakoti district.
Deputy Director of Tripura Tourism, Abhijit Chakraborty said, "The state government has introduced a helicopter service from September 1, named as 'Tripura Hawai Safar', which would be available on Sunday's only.
He said the Tripura Hawai Safar is a one day programme in which the traveller would visit Devatamura in Gomati district and Unnakoti hills in Unnakoti district.
Devtamura or Debtamura is a hill range, known for its rock sculptures, a panel of carved images, on the bank of Gomati river.
The stone images are reported to mark the revival of Brahmanism during the 15 and 16th century.
Unakoti literally means one less than a crore. The place is a pilgrimage of shaivites and famous for its 8th century rock-cut sculptures made of sandstone.
