Agartala: July 14. Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Sunday emphasized the importance of educating the new generation about the historical background of the Kharchi Puja and the fourteen deities.
He highlighted that the tradition of this festival will remain elusive if future generations are not informed about its history and background.
Dr. Saha said this while inaugurating the 7-day traditional Kharchi Puja and festival at the Chaturdash Devta temple at old Agartala in Khayerpur on Sunday.
“The culture and tradition of India are the oldest in the world. The new generation should be made aware of the historical background of the Kharchi Puja and the fourteen deity houses. The tradition of this festival will remain elusive if future generations are not informed about its history and background,” he said.
Dr. Saha also announced a public holiday on the final day of the Kharchi festival, July 20, to encourage more people to participate in the celebrations.
“When the file of Kharchi Puja came to me, I observed the inauguration day as a holiday on Sunday. Usually, everyone expects such public holidays. So, after talking with officials, I declared the end day of the Kharchi festival, i.e., July 20, as a public holiday so that people can participate in this festival more happily,” he said.
Expressing his happiness to participate in the festival once again, Dr. Saha said, “India’s art, culture, and traditions are very old. Kharchi Puja is also a traditional festival here. It has a rich history. We worship 14 deities here.”
He reminisced about his childhood, recalling how eagerly he waited for Kharchi Puja despite the challenges of attending it back then.
“At that time, the river was so rapid that it was a matter of fear to cross. We had to cross the river by boat. Many accidents happened then. After returning home from the puja, I felt that I was able to return home safely with the blessings of the fourteen deities. Even going to the Tripura Sundari temple was very difficult then. The state is moving towards massive development. Development has now reached an unimaginable level,” he said.
Dr. Saha explained that three of the fourteen deities are worshiped regularly at the temple, and during Kharchi Puja, the rest of the gods and goddesses are also worshiped for seven days.
“We need to inform the next generation of these histories. And we can save this tradition only if we can inform the next generation about the whole history of these,” he added.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of such fairs and cultural traditions in strengthening the bond of unity and brotherhood among the people of the nation.
Other notable attendees included area MLA Ratan Chakraborty, Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, former Minister Rampada Jamatia, Mayor and MLA of Agartala Municipal Corporation Dipak Majumdar, and MLA Sapna Debbarma.
