New chairman of Tara Tarini Development Board takes charge

Tara Tarini Hill Shrine, Berhampur, Odisha 

The new Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) of Southern Division, Odisha, Shri Laxmi Narayan Nayak has taken over the charge of new chairmanship of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB), on March 16. The Board is considered as one of the prominent temple administrative bodies of Odisha after the Jagannath Temple administration, Puri.

The prehistoric Tara Tarini hill shrine is believed to be the Sthana Peetha (Breast Shrine) of Adi Shakti and as one amongst the four major ancient Shakti shrines in India. TTDB was formed in the year 2003 for the development of the hill shrine. After the formation of TTDB the shrine got the much needed attention along with infrastructure. As per the convention of the Board, Shri Nayak who has recently joined as the new RDC, Southern Division has taken over charges from the outgoing RDC and the Chairman of TTDB Shri Chandra Sekhar Kumar. On this occasion the TTDB office bearers, members and the temple administration while congratulating Shri Nayak expressed the hope that the Hill Shrine will become a great center of religious and tourist importance like Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu & Kashmir and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh under his chairmanship.

After taking over the charge Shri Nayak visited the holy shrine and discussed the status of the 2nd phase of work, which is going on in full pace. Board secretary, Executive officer TTDB and other Board Members tabled the draft of the 2nd phase of work. It was agreed that the Board would ensure the completion of the ongoing projects like the widening of Ghat road and unfinished first phase work of the main temple complex before the commencement of the forthcoming Chaitra Mela, which was visited by more than 20 lakh devotees last year during the month of Chaitra.

It is worth mentioning that the second phase work of the temple which is presently underway includes the following projects;

•Construction of, four side-temples, boundary wall and outer protection wall / river side retaining wall to check land sliding and soil erosion at the hilltop.

•Construction of administrative office, Mundan shade and Bhog Bazaar on the hilltop.

•Construction of a big public utilities complex.

•Construction of waiting hall for the Rope-way on the hilltop.

•Further development of Arial Rope-way.

•Construction of huge parking space at the hilltop.

•Flood lighting arrangements at the hilltop and inside the temple premises. Lighting arrangement on the 999 holy stone steps and road   leading to the Hilltop from Tara Tarini junction.

•Further widening of stone steps and ghat road leading to the hill top.

•Maintenance of eco-system in and around the sacred hill by huge plantation in its nearby areas.

•Construction of a hospital, a residential school and training centre for the physically challenged etc.

In the mean time the traditional ritualistic inaugural ceremony of the new temple of Tara Tarini hill shrine which was scheduled to be held on March 03 -09, has been deferred. The new chairman of TTDB in consultation with the Vedic pundits will decide the new date for this ceremony on 24th March. Decision to defer the inauguration ceremony was taken at a meeting of Vedic pundits. Twelve senior Vedic pundits from all the nine traditional taluks of Ganjam district have been invited to the March 24th meeting convened by the TTDB. Among others, TTDB Vice President and Ganjam Collector, office bearers, members of the technical committee, members of TTDB and senior officials of government of Odisha and district administration will participate. In this meeting the new Chairman will also review the progress of on-going works, including the dedicated bus service to the hill shrine from Berhampur city and other towns of the district, construction of a bus Stand on the foot hill, permanent accommodation facility for the visitors on the foot hill and about the decision of the Ministry of Law govt. of Orissa to recover all the donated cultivated and uncultivated land (Around 600 acres of land in various parts of the state) on the lines of Jagannath Temple, Puri.

Orissa to develop Tara Tarini temple as a major religious tourist destination

Berhampur (Orissa), May 2 (PTI) Orissa government has planned to develop Tara Tarini temple, a shakti shrine in the Ganjam district, as a major religious tourist destination.

The decision was taken at a high level-meeting held recently where the state government unfolded plans to develop the spot near Purushottampur, officials said.

While Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) has renovated the old hill-top temple, several other peripheral development works including the approach roads, round the clock water supply, community toilets and a 'pantha nivas' were constructed by various departments of the government.

Situated on the banks of river Rushikulya, about 30 km from Berhampur city, the place is visited by lacks of people every year, particularly on all Tuesdays of the Hindu month of Chaitra.

Also published in Chennai on line.com, Orissa Barta, Orissa Diary

With 300% increase in number of visitors on 4th Tuesday, Chaitra festivities reach a crescendo at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess.

Like the Third Tuesday (Around 7 lakh devotees gathered on that day) there was also heavy rush on the Fourth Tuesday on the hill top temple of Adi Shakti Maa Taratarini as coincidentally it was also Mahastami day of Navaratri festivities.

On this Tuesday, the massive gathering broke all records of previous years as it saw a three fold increase in the number of visitors as compared to the last year. There were visitors from far of places like Assam, North eastern States, and Tamilnadu apart from states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.

The festivities had started at this shrine from Monday evening. Throughout the night there were cultural programmes to entertain the devotees. After some ceremonial works the sanctum of Maa Tara Tarini opened at around 2 a.m in the morning and darshan started after that. As per the report available on that occasion at least 50,000 people offered the hair of newborn babies at the Shrine similar to the practice found at Tirupati Balaji.

It may be noted that last year during the month of Chaitra more than 17 lakh people visited the hill shrine. So, sensing that the devotees would increase further, the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) has carried out a lot of development works and made wide arrangements for the smooth darshan of devotees.

Meanwhile, Orissa Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik has also taken steps for the development of this Shrine. As part of the development programme, on the eve of the commencement of Chaitra festivities at the Shrine the CM has inaugurated a multifunctional complex and a lavatory complex on the foot hill of the Shrine and another ultra modern lavatory complex is also coming up on the hill top for the benefit of devotees. Appreciating the developmental projects taken up by the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB); which led to major transformation of this ancient hill shrine Shri Patnaik expressed his satisfaction with the progress made so far which has led to the emergence of this Adi Shakti Peetha as a major centre of religious tourism in Orissa.

Principal Secretary Urban Development Government of Orissa Sh. Arun Panda, RDC Southern Division and Chairman of TTDB Shri Chandrasekhar Kumar, Ganjam District Collector Shri VK Pandian, Collectors of many other districts, BMC Commissioner Sh. Veemsen Manseth, Superintendent of Police Berhampur and Ganjam and many other senior state and central government officials, apart from the office bearers of TTDB were present on the Fourth Tuesday.

On the sidelines a meeting was held where the Principal Secretary Urban Development Government of Orissa Sh. Arun Panda and all office bearers of TTDB participated.

• It was decided that for the benefit of devotees next year steps would be taken to arrange around 5000 tents with all other facilities on temporary basis for the accommodation of atleast 50,000 people.

• More number of buses would ply for the smooth transportation on to the hill top.

• It was also decided that retaining walls would be constructed on both sides of the hill top to protect the area from land sliding.

• And the work of the hill top temple complex with four Parshwa temples and boundary wall will be completed in a time bound period.

Principal Secretary Urban Development Government of Orissa Sh. Arun Panda, RDC Southern Division and Chairman of TTDB Shri Chandrasekhar Kumar, Ganjam District Collector Shri VK Pandian assured all help from government side to the Development Board.

The Ganjam District administration made elaborate arrangements for the visitors. The volunteers of the TTDB, different NGOs and voluntary organizations, the temple management and local residents extended their helping hand to devotees who came from various parts of the state and other neighbouring states.

______________________________

R P Tripathy

Media & Publicity In-Charge

Tara Tarini Development Board

Berhampur

Orissa

Sea of devotees throng TaraTarini Hill Shrine on 3rd Tuesday of Chaitra

Lakhs of devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur, on third Tuesday of Chaitra and on the first day of Navaratri. It may be noted that the four Tuesdays of Hindu month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine. On this Tuesday more than three lakh devotees had reached the hill shrine. There was heavy rush as it was also day for the start of Navaratra festivities. There were visitors from other states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand as well as some NRI families. Following major transformation due to developmental projects taken up by the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB); this hill shrine has now become a major centre of religious tourism in south Orissa.

Chaitra month

It may be noted that last year during the month of Chaitra more than 17 lakh people visited the hill shrine. The TTDB authorities hope this year the devotees would increase further. The festivities had started at this hill shrine from Monday evening. Throughout the night there were cultural programmes to entertain the visitors to the shrine. Although this hill shrine boasts to be having the only ropeway to a hilltop in the State, yet most of the devotees due to their traditional belief decided to climb to the top of the hill shrine. They walked on the ghat road or used the steep stair case. They climbed 999 steps as a penance to the deities.

Rural fair

A rural fair was on at the foothill. Urbanites who had reached the spot as picnickers enjoyed the village fair. Forgetting mental blockades related to hygiene for some time they relished fresh sugarcane and colourful sweets sold by the roadside vendors at this rural fair. The beautification and developmental works were taken up at the hill shrine by the TTDB from donations from the public. The State government in cooperation with the Ganjam district administration has formed the TTDB for development of this hill shrine into a major tourist destination. This board includes eminent persons of Orissa especially from southern region. The TTDB has now replaced the old temple with a new one in the traditional ‘Rekha' style of Orissa.

Source: The Hindu