Tripura: Century old traditional Kharchi Puja to begin on July 14

Tripura is all set to celebrate the century-old week-long Kharchi Puja and festival which will commence from July 14, at Chaturdasa Devata Temple (Fourteen gods temple) in Old Agartala, under the West Tripura District.

The festival is centered around the worship of Chaturdasa Devata, the ancestral deity of the Tripuri people.

Addressing a press conference on June 25, Khayerpur MLA and former Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly, Ratan Chakraborty, announced that on July 14, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, will inaugurate the event, along with Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury while Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath and Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma will be present on the last day, marking the conclusion of the event.

“All preparations for the puja and fair are underway, and we are hopeful that with the help of all departments and the local people, we can celebrate this event successfully. Last year, many traders faced problems due to heavy rain. However, we are hopeful they won’t face the same issues this year as over 500 stalls will be set up,” said the MLA.

He mentioned that this year’s theme is ‘Green Future.’

“To save our future and Earth, we must maintain ecological balance. We are planning to plant over 15,000 saplings and distribute them among devotees,” the MLA told reporters.

Chakraborty further stated that people from across the country come here to perform the puja and celebrate the festival.

“The tourism department has taken responsibility for promoting Kharchi Puja. Last year, over 900 participants took part in cultural programs, coming from other states and Bangladesh. This year, we are expecting more participants. There will also be food stalls. Last year, we recorded over 20 lakh footfalls. We have arranged food and lodging for saints coming from different states,” he said, further adding that during the week-long puja and festival, heavy vehicles will not be allowed to ply and will have to park at the inter-state truck terminus.

“We will also deploy medical teams, over 100 Scouts and Guides, and over 800 Tripura State Rifles Jawans to maintain law and order,” he added.