NE India
Kharchi Puja
The worship of the fourteen deities of the Tripuri royal line.
Pralaylahiry · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Kharchi Puja is one of Tripura's largest festivals, a seven-day celebration in July at the Chaturdasha Devata temple in Old Agartala, where the fourteen gods and goddesses of the erstwhile royal Tripuri pantheon are worshipped together. The deities, represented by metal faces, are ceremonially bathed in the Saidra river, and a great fair springs up around the temple.
Blending tribal and Hindu traditions, Kharchi draws huge crowds and is a vivid expression of Tripura's unique syncretic culture, with music, food stalls and folk performances across the week.
Photo: Pralaylahiry · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Know before you go
- Held at Old Agartala, a short drive from the city; no permit needed for Tripura.
- Falls in the monsoon — carry rain gear.
- Combine with Ujjayanta Palace and Neermahal.
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