AGARTALA, June 30 (TIWN): After a year, once again it's Kharchi puja that has begun with full devotion in Tripura accompanied by thousands of Tribals, Bengalies. Kharchi puja is a traditional holy festival has been observed since the Kingdom, now has turned a horizon for mass-gathering regardless cast, creed and community.

On Friday evening, on the occasion of Kharchi, the temple has been decorated like a Queen and thousands of devotees have been thronged to see the beginning of auspicious Kharchi Puja.

Kharchi puja is the worship of the dynasty deity of Tripuri people, the fourteen gods. It is performed in the month of July August on the eight day of new moon. The fourteen gods are worshipped by the royal priest Chantai. They are all Tripuri by birth, and it is hereditary one. Only members of chantai family descendants are allowed to take the post of Chantai, since the time it had started for more than 3000 years ago, and it is still continuing till date. All the attendants of chantai are also belong to Tripuri people, since the beginning and are followed. This is the only one puja is exclusively performed by the pujari or the priests belonging to Tripuri people.

Kharchi puja is performed after 15 days of Ama pechi or Ambu bachi. 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.

Any priest whose wife is menstruating is also prohibited from performing any auspicious or religious function. The Earth is therefore considered unholy after the menstruation of the earth mother during Ama pechi. The Kharchi puja is performed to wash out the sins and clean up the post-menstrual uncleanliness of the earth mother's menstruation.

Kharchi puja lasts for seven consecutive days. The festival is held at the temple of fourteen gods at Old Agartala. On the day of puja, the fourteen deities are carried by chanting members and taken to the river Saidra, bathed in the holy water, and then returned to the temple. The deities are then decorated with various flowers and vermillion is placed on each deity's forehead.

Every day large numbers of people attend the festival, and both Tripuri and non-Tripuri participate. People offer different types of prasad  like goat, buffalo, sweets, etc.. Various cultural programmes are performed each evening and a large fair is organised to mark the occasion. People look to their own welfare as well as the welfare of the society and the state in general.