Govt sponsored 'Durga Puja' in the royal 'Durga Bari' temple, smaller deity attracts people

Down the annals of history the Manikya dynasty kings of Tripura had been devoted believers in both 'Vaishnavite' and 'Shakta' cult but the worshipping of 'Debi Durga' has always been an annual event in the palace. King Dhanya Manikya (1490-1520), a conqueror in his own right, had organized the very first 'Durga Puja' in the royal palace at his capital Rangamati (Udaipur since sixteenth century). According to 'Rajmala', Tripura's fabled court chronicle, the images of 'Debi Durga' and her retinue had been built by artisans in disproportionately big size and the chief queen 'Maharani' Sulakshana Debi had fainted at the very sight of the Mother Goddess. Even though all the 'Puja' rituals were completed king Dhanya Manikya convened a meeting of leading 'Shastrakars' (experts in Shastras) in the year 1491 and sought their opinion on the form and size of 'Debi Durga' or the Mother Goddess. A consensus was evolved that the images would be made in much smaller size and then prevalent human sacrifice on the 'Navami' or third day of 'Puja' would be stopped. Since then the royal 'Durga Puja' in Tripura is organised with the image of the Mother Goddess having only two hands, with the remaining eight tied behind out of sight.

'Since the year 1916 the puja is being held in the royal 'Durga Bari' temple built by king Birendra Kishore Manikya (1909-1923); the image of the Mother Goddess is much smaller and her eight hands are tied behind out of sight in keeping with the tradition since the late sixteenth century' said royal priest Jayanta Bhattacharya. He said that expenses of the annual 'puja' including the sacrifice of a full-grown buffalo on the 'Navami' day is now borne by the state government. 'In terms of the instrument of accession signed on September 9 1947 the centre  is bound to pay for expenses of 'puja' in all erstwhile temples patronized by the monarchs  ; Tripura is now a full-fledged state but the responsibility has spilled over to the state government ; the state government has now a full-fledged 'Debarchan' department and the DMs in every district are the chief 'Sevaits' of erstwhile royal temples patronised by the kings including the 'Mata Tripureshwari' temple in Udaipur said Dulal Bhattacharjee.

Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma and the queen mother Maharani Bibhu Kumari Debi, visit the 'Durga Bari' temple at least once during the four days of the 'Durga Puja'. But devotees and 'puja' revellers throng the 'Durga Bari' temple from the very first day. Even on the day of ‘Saptami’ thousands of people paid obeisance to the 'Puja' in 'Durga Bari' temple. 'All concepts and definitions of secularism fall flat on the occasion of 'Durga Puja' , especially in 'Durga Bari' temples ; not only Bengalis , large number of tribals visit the royal temple to offer worship' said Ratul Debbarma , a leading tribal poet and member of indigenous tribal aristocracy settled in Agartala. Significantly, even on the ‘Dashami’ or immersion day, the images of ‘Durga Bari’ lead the procession under state police guard and ritual band for immersion, keeping alive a tradition.