Gomati District (Tripura) [India], April 23 (HBTV): The Pera sellers of Tripura Sundari temple are elated as the iconic sweet dish, which is a part and parcel of the temple's identity, was accorded the Geographical Indication tag.   

There are approximately 100 privately owned shops in the temple complex that primarily deal in 'Pera', which is offered to the deity by almost all the devotees. Even if someone brings other things to offer, "Pera Bhog" has to be there.    

Besides, approximately 50 to 60 people there who toil in the factories to prepare the milk-based sweet dish which was recently accorded the Geographical Indication tag for Tripura.

The Pera sellers of Tripura Sundari Temple are delighted with the development and thanked the Government of India and the Government of Tripura for taking the initiative to promote the temple at the national as well as the global level.  

Speaking with ANI, Tripura Sundari Temple Pera Sellers Association Secretary, Ratan Chandra Paul thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state’s Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha for making concerted efforts to make sure Pera got the GI tag.              

‘All the Pera sellers of this temple who have protected the heritage of Pera are very happy. We have almost 100 Pera sellers who have their shops dotted in and around the temple's sanctum sanctorum," he said. 

On being asked about the average production of Pera in the temple, Paul said, "We don't have a rigid volume of production. In holidays, the rush of devotees rises and hence the total production also hikes. On weekdays, the production is on the lower side. The average daily production is around 1,000 Kg." 

(ANI) This is a syndicated news feed. HBTV has edited it for clarity.