A CORRESPONDENT
DHUBRI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday visited the historic Madhupur Satra in Cooch Behar and underlined the need for preserving and developing the revered religious and cultural site associated with Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev.
Describing Madhupur Satra as a living symbol of Assam’s civilisation, culture and spiritual heritage, Sarma said the ideals of devotion, equality, knowledge and cultural harmony propagated by Ekasarana Nama Dharma continued to resonate from the sacred site.
He said every Assamese shared a deep emotional bond with Madhupur, which carries the sacred memories of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Srimanta Madhavdev and Srimanta Damodardev. The fact that Srimanta Sankardev spent the final days of his life at Madhupur, he added, further enhanced the historical and spiritual significance of the place.
The Chief Minister said the Assam Government was moving ahead with a comprehensive plan for the conservation, beautification and overall development of Madhupur Satra, while ensuring that the preservation of its heritage remained an integral part of the development process. He stressed the importance of cooperation and coordination between the governments of Assam and West Bengal for the successful implementation of the proposed initiatives.
During his visit, Sarma held discussions on various aspects of the preservation and development of the historic site with West Bengal Ministers Nisith Pramanik and Malati Rava Roy, along with Assam Ministers Ashok Singhal and Aswini Ray Sarkar.
Sarma said the objective was to develop Madhupur into a major socio-cultural and spiritual centre on the lines of Batadrava, with the cooperation of the governments of Assam and West Bengal. Such an initiative, he said, would help establish Madhupur Satra as an important destination for spiritual and cultural tourism in the Northeast. The Chief Minister also emphasised that development of the site should go hand in hand with the preservation of its historical, religious and cultural heritage.