Agartala, November 22:Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Saturday inaugurated the newly reconstructed Iputhou Puthiba Devata Bari at Ujan Abhoynagar, one of the oldest Manipuri temples in the state, in the presence of Manipur’s Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba, Manipura’s MLA and former Minister Leishangthem Susindro Meitei and Agartala Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder, DM WestTripura district Dr Vishal Kumar and other dignitaries.
The temple stands as a symbol of the historic ties between the royal families of Tripura and Manipur.
According to historical accounts, Maharaja Birchandra Kishore Manikya Bahadur of Tripura married Rajkumari Ningthem Chanu Bhanumati Devi of Manipur, who later brought the deity Iputhou Puthiba to Tripura and first installed it at Kawabon in Meghlipara near Ranirbazar. Years later, during a visit in 1929, Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur found the structure in ruins and rebuilt it at its present location, close to the Ujjayanta Palace and within a Manipuri-populated neighbourhood.
With time, the temple again deteriorated, prompting the present state government to fund its reconstruction at a cost of ₹64 lakh.
The visiting dignitaries from Manipur expressed gratitude to the Tripura government under Dr. Saha’s leadership for restoring the culturally significant shrine beside giving importance and working for the development of the Manipuri community in Tripura.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister said his government is committed to safeguarding the cultural and religious heritage of various communities in Tripura, something he claimed was largely overlooked in earlier administrations.
He noted that the Iputhou Puthiba temple continues to play an important role in nurturing Manipuri traditions, especially rituals like Lai-Haraoba Utsav and Lai-Chaklon, which are still practiced with deep devotion.
Saha added that the revival of the temple not only strengthens religious and cultural practices but also helps preserve the longstanding relationship between the people of Tripura and Manipur — a bond rooted in shared royal lineage and historic ties.
