Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha inaugurated the 19th Rajarshi Utsav-2023 at Bhubaneswari Temple in Udaipur on Tuesday (May 9) evening.
The festival was organized to mark the birth anniversary of Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore.
The Rajarshi Utsav is a tribute to Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore, a poet whose legacy is deeply intertwined with Tripura.
In his speech, Dr. Saha paid rich tributes to Kabiguru, saying that Tagore is an institution in himself. He also highlighted Tagore’s patriotic fervor and his opposition to the division of Bengal by the British rulers.
Tagore’s songs are the National Anthem of India and Bangladesh. Kabiguru started ‘Rakhi Bandhan’ opposing the division of Bengal by the British rulers. He returned the Knighthood given by the British protesting against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre – such was his patriotism, Dr Saha said.
Dr. Saha spoke about Tagore’s deep connection with Tripura, pointing out that Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya conferred upon him the title of ‘Bharat Bhaskar.’ The Chief Minister also noted that Tagore’s ‘Rajarshi’ novel was based on Tripura.
In attendance at the festival were Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, MLA Rampada Jamatia, MLA Abhishek Debroy, MLA Jitendra Majumder, and others.
The Finance Minister, in his address, announced that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has taken special initiatives to preserve the Bhubaneswari Temple, which is a rich cultural heritage site.
Prior to the festival, the Chief Minister and Finance Minister inaugurated the traditional Mata Mangalchandi Mela at Amarpur.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Saha noted that Tripura is rich in heritage and culture, with 19 tribal communities each having their own unique traditions and culture. He added that this diversity is a real example of unity in diversity.
The Mela is a celebration of Tripura’s rich cultural heritage, and the government’s commitment to preserving it.
