Chaturdasha Temple, Agartala – Festivals

Chaturdasha Temple, Agartala – Festivals

The Kharchi Puja is an amalgamation of Hindu and Kokborok customs. It is the famous festival celebrated in Tripura. The festival involves the worship of the fourteen gods forming the dynasty deity of the Tripuri people. Kharchi puja is performed after 15 days of Ama Pechi. According to Tripuri legends, Ama Pechi is the Menstruation of the mother goddess, or Earth mother, and the soil is neither ploughed nor dug anywhere during this time. Among Tripuri people menstruation is considered unholy and all significant functions by women are prohibited.

The Earth is therefore considered unclean after the menstruation of the earth mother during Ama Pechi. The Kharchi puja is performed to wash out the Post-Menstrual uncleanliness of the Earth mother's Menstruation. It's a week-long royal Puja which falls in the month of July on the eighth day of the new moon and attracts thousands of people. This festival is celebrated at Agartala (Puran Agartala) in the temple premises of Fourteen gods. There are many legends associated with this Puja.

The celebrations extend until a week and are held in the temple premises which are attended by thousands of people. The word Kharchi is derived from the word Khya which means Earth. Kharchi Puja is basically done to worship the earth. All of rituals are of tribal origin, which includes worshipping fourteen gods and Mother Earth. The Puja is performed to wash out the sins and to clean the post-menstrual phase of Mother Earth's menstruation. Thus, the Puja is performed for seven consecutive days.

On the day of the Puja, the fourteen gods are carried to river Saidra by the members of Chantai. The person who performs the worship of these deities in the temple is called Chantai or head priest among the Tripuri priests. The gods are bathed in the holy water and are brought back to the temple. They are again placed in the temple by performing Puja, offering of Flowers and Vermillion. Animal sacrifice is also an important part of this festival and includes sacrificing of Goats and Pigeons. People offer sweets and the sacrificial meat to god.

Both tribal and non-tribal people join together and celebrate the festival in a festive mood by becoming a part of it. A large fair and cultural programs are organized during this time. The puja held for seven consecutive days during the month of Asada in June to July is the only period when devotees can get a darshan of the gods and goddesses. Other than this there is no Chaturdasha temple timing when darshans are allowed.