CM inaugurates Kharchi Puja, vows to safeguard culture, traditions of 19 tribes

Chief Minister, Dr. Manik Saha on Monday said that the current state government is dedicated to safeguarding and revitalizing the rich culture and traditions of the 19 tribes residing in the state.

During the inauguration of the week-long century-old traditional Kharchi Puja at the historic Chaturdas Devata Temple in Old Agartala, CM Dr. Manik Saha reminisced about his past experiences visiting the temple during the puja, facing numerous obstacles due to the absence of proper roads at that time.

“In the past, we faced numerous difficulties while visiting the Chaturdash Devata temple due to the lack of proper roads. However, now people can reach here without any problems. The traders, who have set up their stalls, focusing on this century-old festival, will also benefit financially. Many groups from Bangladesh and other north-eastern states have come here to participate in the cultural events. This festival and Mela have been a unifying factor for decades, but the way we used to visit earlier was unorganized, and the infrastructure was also lacking. But the present government is striving to develop the infrastructure at the temple, and we will discuss how we can establish a trust for its development. The Mata Tripurasundari Temple has also come under a trust. If there are no issues, we will create a trust for the Chaturdas Devata temple,” said the Chief Minister.

He further shared that the government has numerous plans in place for the temple's development.

“Tripura is abundant in art, culture, and heritage, which you will not find anywhere else. I have visited many rural areas to witness the diverse cultures and traditions of our 19 tribes, and they were truly amazing. These unique cultures were on the verge of extinction, but our government is committed to protecting and reviving them. We do not want any culture or tradition in our state to go extinct. We are working collectively to make Ek Tripura Srestha Tripura," stated Dr. Saha.

He also praised the local MLA and former speaker Ratan Chakraborty for his efforts for the Kharchi Mela.

On this the Chief Minister also performed puja for the welfare of the state and also visited the temple.

During the event, Janajati Kalyan Minister Bikas Debbarma, Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, AMC Myor Dipak Majumder, MLA Ratan Chakraborty, PK Chakraborty, Secretary of ICA Department remained present.