With a number of golf equipment organising Durga Puja and showcasing distinctive themes, the 148-year-old Durga Puja at Agartala’s historic Durgabari continues to be one of many major points of interest for devotees. Folks from completely different elements of the nation and overseas go to this particular Durga Puja, the place the idol of the goddess has two arms as an alternative of the customary ten, as seen in most different golf equipment.
Positioned subsequent to the 123-year-old Ujjayanta Palace—as soon as the royal abode of the Manikya rulers—Durgabari welcomed the Durga idol on Wednesday. Historical past data that Maharani Sulokkhona Devi, spouse of Maharaja Krishna Kishore Manikya, who then had his capital at Rangamati (now Udaipur, 50 km south of Agartala), fainted in the course of the ‘Sandhya-arati’ after seeing the ten-armed Durga idol.
In keeping with legend, the queen obtained a divine commandment wherein the goddess assured her that she would seem with solely two arms, whereas the remaining eight arms could be hidden on the again. This might preserve her legendary ‘Doshobhuja’ (ten-armed) kind whereas assuaging the queen’s concern. Consequently, the idol was crafted accordingly.
A Distinctive Idol and Its Custodianship
Durgabari’s head priest, Jayanta Bhattacharya, shared that the temple boasts the one Durga idol of its sort, worshipped initially by his ancestors on behalf of the erstwhile Manikya dynasty. Later, the state authorities took over the temple, together with Tripurasundari Temple in Udaipur and Chaturdas Devata Bari in Khayerpur, after Tripura’s merger with India on October 15, 1949.
“Devi Durga was worshipped in other places the place the erstwhile royal household had its capital, together with Amarpur, Udaipur, and Outdated Agartala. The temple was shifted right here shortly earlier than Ujjayanta Palace was constructed, and since then, the goddess has been worshipped right here,” Bhattacharya stated.
Ujjayanta Palace and Its Historic Significance
‘Maharaja’ Radhakishore Manikya Bahadur constructed the Ujjayanta Palace in 1901 after the previous palace was destroyed by an earthquake. The palace, which housed the state legislative meeting for a few years, has been the state museum since 2013. It served because the royal residence till Tripura merged with the Indian Union in 1949.
As per the merger settlement, the West Tripura District Justice of the Peace is the de facto ‘sevayat’ of the Durga Bari Puja rituals, whereas the DM of Gomati district serves because the ‘sevayat’ of the Tripurasundari Temple. Each temples have historic and mythological significance, courting again over 140 years and 500 years, respectively.
Animal Sacrifice and Custom
Buffalo sacrifice was as soon as customary at Durgabari however was halted six years in the past following a Excessive Courtroom order in opposition to ritualistic animal sacrifice. Nevertheless, a later petition allowed some sacrificial rituals to proceed, and whereas animal sacrifices nonetheless happen, the numbers have considerably decreased.
This yr, the temple authorities have determined to not settle for any sacrifices from devotees. As an alternative, they’ll sacrifice 5 animals, together with a buffalo, donated by the federal government as a part of the rituals. One goat can be sacrificed every day of the four-day Puja, together with a chook, which is historically sacrificed in the course of the worship of the royal sword.
A Time-Honoured Puja
As custom dictates, the temple is renovated, cleaned, and painted earlier than every Durga Puja. This yr was no exception. The spacious ‘naat-mandir,’ the place devotees collect to look at the rituals, has been crammed with worshippers on all Puja days to date. In keeping with custom, the Durgabari idol would be the first to be immersed after Vijaya Dashami at Dashamighat, a preferred immersion web site on the Howrah River.
Yearly, the idols of Durgabari are the primary to be immersed on the Dashamighat immersion web site, the place the state police band performs the nationwide anthem.
Historian Pannalal Roy, an knowledgeable on Tripura’s royal historical past, defined that the Puja bhog (choices to the deity) at Durgabari features a distinctive assortment of fruits, fish, eggs, and alcoholic drinks. These choices are according to the rituals of the Shakta order of Hinduism.
Devotees’ Reverence
On Friday, many devotees had been seen visiting the Durgabari temple, providing prayers, and bringing their kids in hopes of receiving blessings and good well being from the deity.
“We go to Durgabari each probability we get. Durgabari is a novel temple, and we wouldn’t miss it for something,” stated Gouri Debbarma, an area devotee.
Sankari Roy, one other Agartala resident, echoed the sentiment: “It is a historic spot and a fantastic non secular shrine. Many pandals set up Durga Puja yearly, however Durgabari is one thing else.”
In keeping with officers, as many as 2,850 community-organised and over 100 family-organised Durga Pujas are being held throughout Tripura this yr.
