Kharchi Puja is one of the main festivals of Tripura, the state of south India. Kharchi Puja is a Hindu festival. These festivals are celebrated with great fervor by the Hindus for days together. During this, worship of 14 Hindu deities is worshiped. This festival is celebrated in Agartala in July or August. The royal puja that runs throughout the week is done on the eighth day of the new moon which falls in July or August.
Essay on 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.
The word Kharchi is derived from two Tripuri words ‘Khar’ or Kharta meaning or Sin, ‘chi’ or si meaning cleaning. Final meaning is cleaning of the sins of the people or the kingdom. The Khachi puja is performed after 15 days of Ama pechi or Ambu bachi. According to Tripuri legends Ama Pechi is menstruation of mother goddess or earth mother. So the soil is not ploughed or digging of any where on this day. Among Tripuri the menstruation of a woman is considered as unholy ness, which is why in this period all the performance auspicious functions by women are prohibited. Even to the extent any priest whose wife is menstruating is prohibited to perform any auspicious or religious function.
So after the menstruation of mother earth during Ama pechi, the earth is considered to become unholy. The kharchi puja is performed to wash out the sins, to clean up the post menstrual uncleanly ness of earth mothers menstruation. That is why it is performed for seven consecutive days.
Kharchi puja lasts for seven days, the festivals is held at Old Agartala, at the temple premises of fourteen gods. On day of puja, the fourteen deities are carried by members of chantai, taken to river Saidra, it is bathed in the holy water and brought back to temple. They are placed in the temple again, decorated by various flowers, put up vermillion in the fore head of deities.
Every day lots of people throng in the festivals both Tripuri and non-Tripuri participate in the festivals. People offer different type so Prasad like goat, buffalo, fouls, sweets etc. now a day many cultural progammes are performed in the night. A large fair is also organized on the occasion. People seek their welfare as well as the welfare of the society and the state in general.
Kharchi puja paragraph
This festival is also known as ‘Chaturdash or Chaudda—Devata Puja’ and is observed in the Tripura state.
The place where the festival is celebrated is called ‘Chaturdash—Devatar or Chaudda—Devatar bari’. It is situated at old Agartala. The Chaturdash Devatas were the family deities of the Manikya dynasty, the former rulers of Tripura.
Till today, all the gods are daily worshipped by the priests, but on the eight day of the bright half of the month of Asara (June—July) a special worship called ‘Karchi Puja’ is performed for seven days in honour of the deities.
A legend tells as that these fourteen gods were migrated from Burma to Tripura. But most widely accepted myth is that after slaying Tripura, Lord Shiva directed Hirabati, the widow of Tripura to worship fourteen gods, namely, Hara, Uma, Hari, Ma (Lakshmi), Bani (Saraswati), Kumara, Ganesha, Brahma, Prithvi, Samudra, Ganga, Agni, Kamadeva, and Himalaya.
Though primarily a tribal affair, but today people from all communities take part in the festival and in the fair, which is associated with the puja. Celebrated in a brick-built temple called ‘Chaturdash Devata’. On the first day, in the early morning fourteen gods are carried by fourteen priest are taken out in a grand procession to the river Howrah, led by Chantai Maharaj, the head priest. After sacred bath, the idols are taken into a special hut. Chief priest now begins the worship of all the gods one by one. Another goddess “Burma” is also honoured on the occasion . Animal sacrifice particularly the sacrifice of the goats are allowed in this festival.
In short, this festival is celebrated in the state of Tripura and is a major event. It falls in the month of Ashad and commences from Shukla Asthami day. Kharchi Puja is dedicated to goddess Vasundhara and on the occasion, a great fair is organised that goes till the month of Sravana.
Essay on ker puja
Kharchi Puja is one of the most important festivals of Tripura. Celebrated in the month of July, Kharchi Puja is a week long festival during which 14 gods are worshipped.
Kharchi is derived from ‘khya’ which means ‘earth’ and hence, the festival is also known as the worship of earth. The main celebration takes place at the premises of the Chaturdasha Devta temple in the capital city Agartala.
Kharchi Puja is a celebration spread over 7days where people come together to worship and offer prayers to mother earth for sustaining life of mankind with her rich natural resources.
