Kharchi Puja

About Kharchi Puja

• It is week- long, annual Puja held at old Agartala in Tripura. 
  • It is also called the ‘Festival of 14 Gods’.
• The word ‘Kharchi’ is derived from two Tripuri words – ‘khar’ or kharta meaning ‘sin’ and ‘chi’ or si meaning ‘cleaning’.
• It is observed on the eighth day of the new moon in July or August every year. 
• Deities worshiped: The Chaturdasa Devata are the 14 ancestral deities of the Tripuri people, central to the Kharchi Puja festival. 
  • These deities, including Shiva, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Kartik, are worshipped with great reverence. 
• It is believed that Tripura Sundari, the presiding deity of Tripura, menstruates during Ambubachi (observed in June).
  • According to tradition, the Earth becomes impure during this period, and Kharchi Puja is performed to ritually purify the Earth and cleanse it of people’s sins after the Goddess’s menstruation ends.
• Rituals performed during festivals:
  • An important ritual of the festival is the construction of the Chaturdasha Mandapa, which symbolises the royal palace of the Tripuri kings and is constructed by traditional artisans who craft the structure out of bamboo and thatched roofs.
  • On the day of the main puja, the idols of all the 14 deities from the ancient Ujjayanta Palace are carried by the royal priest Chantai from the temple premises in Agartala to the holy Saidra river where they are dipped in the holy waters of the river and carried back to the temple.
  • The idols are then adorned with different flowers, traditional attires, ornaments, and vermillion paste.
  • After this, different varieties of sweets are distributed to the devotees as ‘prasad’.
  • The festival is marked by vibrant folk dances, traditional music, and performances by local artistes, showcasing Tripura’s rich cultural heritage.
• Cultural Fairs: A grand fair is also organized alongside the festival, where cultural programmes and traditional performances are held throughout the days.