Idols excavated, CM Biplab Deb says find testament to Tripura’s prominence

Tripura is known for ancient historical sites like Buddhist ruins of Pilak in South Tripura and 8th Century Unakoti rock sculptures in Unakoti district.

Tripura CM Biplab Deb (File)

A day after two ancient idols were found during the excavation of Jagannath Dighi, a local religious waterbody in Tripura’s Udaipur City, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said the find is a testament that Tripura was a prominent centre of “Dharma” in the North East

“#Tripura has been the prominent centre of Dharma in the North East. Finding of 2 idols of Bhagwan Vishnu in Jagannath Diggi Udaipur is a testament to that. Thousands of years old rock reliefs on Unnakoti hills also depict the rich culture of the state. ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय!” the CM tweeted.

Jagannath Dighi, the holy waterbody of Jagannath Temple at Udaipur, was built sometime in the 17th century, when Udaipur was known as Rangamati.

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Tripura is known for ancient historical sites like Buddhist ruins of Pilak in South Tripura and 8th Century Unakoti rock sculptures in Unakoti district.

The Jagannath dighi is currently being dried and excavated as part of an ongoing city beautification drive of the government.

Earlier, in 2018, a 300-year-old sandstone statue was excavated at Rabindra Sangha, a local club in Tripura’s Gomati district, close to the Jagannath Dighi.

ASI experts were called in to date the statue and confirm its authenticity. However, they declined to take possession of the statue.

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A local club later claimed possession of the idol, saying it was an idol of ‘Maa Sheetla’, a Bengali deity, and erected a temple to worship it.