Chaturdash Devta Temple of Old Agartala
The North East part of India is famous for its unique stories. Be it the amazing statues carved on the hilltops or the feats of the royal era, everything is a different adventure to every travel-hungry tourist. On Tripura tourism map, the main topic of discussion is the royal deity and its temple. Today we will know the story of the Kool deity that has been worshiped since the Rajnya period of Tripura. That deity is the Chaturdash Devta. That is, 14 gods. Who are worshiped together at a special time of the year . And that puja is called Kharchi puja.
Kharchi Puja
This Kharchi has been worshiped on the soil of Tripura for many ages. This festival is not only for Tripuri community but it is a festival for people from all parts of the state. So every year devotees flock to Old Agartala near the capital from every corner of the state. Every year this Kharchi Puja or the Puja of the fourteenth deity begins at the end of Ashada month. It is said that this fourteenth god i.e. 14 gods was worshiped as the root deity of Tripura dynasty. Since then Kharchi Puja is held here every year at this special time. The word Kharchi is originally derived from the word Khaya which means earth or land. So Kharchi Puja means worshiping this goddess. Moreover, this puja is also termed as Pap Mochan Puja.
Kharchi Puja as the remission of sins
Basically Kharchi Puja is performed every year after 15 days of Ambu Bachi. Ambubachi means the period of menstruation of Dharitri or Mother Earth. It is believed that the entire world becomes impure during this time. So again this Kharchi puja is done to purify the earth and free the earth from sin. That’s why this puja is also called as the remission of sin. The gathering of devotees from both castes and tribes of the state fills the premises of this puja and milan fair with joy. In addition, Kharchi Pujo is the biggest fair organized by the government in the state.
Who are the forteen god and goddess
The 14 deities who celebrate this festival have different names. These 14 deities are Har, Uma, Hari, Ma, Vani, Kumar, Ganapa, Vidhi, Khaba, Abdhi, Bhagirathi, Sikhi, Kamdev and Himadri. Their idols or head parts are worshiped as Kharchi Puja. That is another reason which makes this place much different than any other tripura tourism spots.
Location of Chaturdash temple
Khayerpur is 6 km away from Agartala. This temple is built there. You can go to Khairpur by any small or big car. During the Kharchi Puja, however, the Agartala to Khayerpur road is much busier. Hence, many vehicles also travel to the temple of the fourteenth deity through an alternate route called Balda Khal.
History Behind Chaturdash Devta Temple
The first temple of this fourteenth deity was built in Khayerpur in 1761. At that time the Maharaja of Tripura was Krishna Manikya Bahadur. The shape of the temple premises was partly built in the shape of the old thatched houses of the tribals of the state. Jujarfa, a descendant of King Sudakshina, the youngest son of King Trilochana of the Tripuri dynasty of Tripura, built the first temple of the fourteenth deity at Udaipur, the temple city of Tripura in the 10th century. Later, when the capital of Tripura was shifted from Udaipur to Agartala, this deity was also expected here. Since then the deities are being worshiped in this Khayerpur temple. And the fair is organized around this annual special puja.
Kharchi fair
Just as this temple is famous as an integral part of the Tripura tourism industry, the huge fair organized around this Kharchi Puja has many names and fames too.
A huge fair is organized here every year around Kharchi Puja. It is said that this is the biggest fair of Tripura. It is not only the local people of Tripura who participate in this meeting. Many tourists from all over the country come from far and wide to participate in this special festival of Tripura. Moreover, many businessmen came from far and wide to participate in this fair. About 600 to 700 shops sit here every year. A huge fair is organized here every year around Kharchi Puja. It is said that this is the biggest fair of Tripura. It is not only the local people of Tripura who participate in this meeting. Many tourists from all over the country come from far and wide to participate in this special festival of Tripura. Moreover, many businessmen came from far and wide to participate in this fair. About 600 to 700 shops sit here every year.
But this year that record has been surpassed. There are 26 official shops and 800 more shops through lottery in this year’s fair.
Conclusion
Organized to pacify and purify Mother Earth, this Kharchi Puja continues to hold special importance in the lives of the people of Tripura. This puja is performed in only a few states of India. So maybe it is not so popular. Many Indians may not know about this Kharchi Puja.
This Kharchi Puja Premises or Fourteenth Deity Temple located in Khayerpur is particularly famous in the field of Tripura tourism. This temple is not only the heritage of Tripura’s royal period, but also a wonderful symbol of the state’s tourism industry. This is an integral part of Tripura tourism industry. which the State Government has made great efforts to improve over time. As a result of which, today around this Kharchi Puja, joy, enthusiasm and many qualities have increased among people. If you ever visit Tripura or Agartala, visit this fourteenth temple at least once.
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