Kharchi Puja Festival
Recently, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has greeted the people on the occasion of Kharchi Puja.
Kharchi Puja festival is celebrated in the northeastern state of Tripura. It is also called ‘Festival of 14 Gods’. This festival is celebrated every year on the eighth day of Amavasya in July or August.
This year this auspicious festival started from 26th June. The festival focuses on the rituals of Chaturdasa Devta, the progenitor deity of the people of Tripura. It holds immense religious and cultural significance and showcases the rich history and traditions of the community.
The word ‘Kharchi’ is derived from two Tripuri words – ‘Khar’ or Kharta meaning sin, and ‘Chi’ or Si meaning ‘cleansing’. During the festival, the people of Tripura worship their 14 gods as well as the earth.
Although the festival is of tribal origin, it is celebrated by both tribal and non-tribal communities of Tripura. On the day of the puja, the fourteen deities are taken to the Saidra River by the Chantai members. The deities are bathed with holy water and brought back to the temple. Animal sacrifice is also an important part of this festival.
Haora River/Saidra River
- The 53 km long river originates from the Boromura hills in central Tripura. It flows westward through the cities of Champaknagar, Jirania, Khumulwang, Khyerpur and the capital Agartala before entering Bangladesh.
- The Kokborok-speaking Aboriginal people know it locally as the Saidra River.
Source – Indian Express
