Berhampur: The Odisha government will soon begin work on a ‘Shakti Corridor, connecting all major Shakti Peeths (seats of the Goddess), Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also holds the Tourism portfolio, informed on Tuesday.
“The project will bring Maa Biraja Temple, Maa Mangala Temple, Maa Bhagabati Temple, Maa Ugratara Temple, Maa Narayani Temple, Maa Tara Tarini Temple, Maa Kalijai Temple and Maa Bhairavi Temple under a single spiritual circuit,” she said during her visit to the famous Tara Tarini shrine near Berhampur in Ganjam district.
The Works and Tourism departments will jointly work on the corridor for promoting pilgrimage, cultural heritage, and religious tourism with a target to complete it within 2 years, she added.
She was accompanied by Works, Law and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena and Fisheries and Animal Resources Minister Gokulananda Mallick. Berhampur MLA K Anil Kumar and Aska legislator Saroj Padhy also accompanied the Ministers, who reviewed the ongoing development work at the temple.
Parida further stated that the Tourism Department has provided over Rs 60 crore to Ganjam district. “While Rs 8 crore has been sanctioned for development of the Tara Tarini peeth, Rs 11 crore has been provided for development of Taptapani. Funds have been allocated for Narayani Temple too,” she added.
Stating that the famous shrine is closely linked with the religious, spiritual. Social and cultural feelings of the people of Odisha, Parida later in a post on X handle said that the site is also a major tourist destination in the state.
The government is taking a host of measures for the development of the temple complex and nearby areas in order to attract more tourists to the site, she said.
The dignitaries also paid her obeisance to the Goddess at the shrine and interacted with the priests, Trust members and key local government officials involved in the functioning and upkeep and maintenance of the temple and listened to their suggestions and opinions, patiently.
The Tara Tarini Temple is a major Hindu shrine of Adi Shakti at the Kumari Hills on the bank of Rushikulya river near Purushottampur in Ganjam district of Odisha, around 28km away from the Silk City, Berhampur. It is one of the four Adi Shakti Peethas in Odisha.
