Government-sponsored Durga Puja continues to draw devotees in Tripura
AGARTALA: The over 500-year-old Durga Puja initiated by the then royal dynasty and sponsored by the Tripura Government for the past over seven decades, continues to draw devotees from different parts of India and the neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh.
Tripura, governed by the Left and non-Left parties since it merged with the Indian Union 73 years ago, is possibly the only State in India where the Government continues to sponsor an over five century-old Durga Puja, that is also closely overseen by the erstwhile royal family.
With 'Maha Sasthi' or 'Bodhan' - the welcoming of the Durga idols - the five-day Puja began on Saturday at the famed Durgabari temple, located in front of the 121-year-old Ujjayanta Palace, one of the biggest royal mansions in eastern India.
According to 57-year-old Jayanta Bhattacharjee, the head priest of Durgabari temple, a few years after the beginning of the royal era in Tripura the kings started Durga Puja over 500 years ago.
"The capital of the princely dynasty along with the royal temple moved to three different places - Udaipur, Amarpur and Puran Habeli - before the State headquarters and the capital city along with the Durgabari temple was settled in Agartala 184 years ago in 1838 by Maharaja Krishna Kishore Manikya (1830-49)," Bhattacharjee told IANS.
Bhattacharjee's family has performed the role of head priest or priest to worship the Durga idols for six generations. He said that West Tripura's District Magistrate and Collector, before starting the rituals of Durga Puja, have to report in writing about the preparations at Durgabari to the former royal family and submit a final report after completion of the mega Puja.
Now this traditional practice has been slightly changed. However, every detail of the Durga Puja is approved by the surviving elderly royal family member, Bibhu Kumari Devi.
Bhattacharjee is supposed to get Rs 8,500 as monthly honorarium from the State Government as head priest of the Durgabari temple, but as he is an employee of the Power Department he is not getting this honorarium. However, his younger brother is getting an honorarium of Rs 6,500 as priest. (IANS)
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