Kharchi Puja Deities

The fourteen deities worshipped during the Kharchi Puja festival in Tripura are known collectively as the Chaturdasha Devata, or the Fourteen Deities. Their origin is rooted in the folk traditions of the Tripuri people, with some scholars linking them to the ancient Kirata culture mentioned in the Mahabharata (Vana Parva) where the Kiratas are described as forest-dwelling tribes. The principal myth, recorded in the Rajmala (the chronicle of Tripura kings), tells that King Tripur, the legendary founder of the dynasty, established the worship of these deities to protect the kingdom. The fourteen deities include: Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, Surya, Chandra, Agni, Vayu, Varuna, and Kubera—though local traditions vary.

Iconographically, they are represented as fourteen separate idols housed in the Chaturdasha Devata Temple in Agartala, each with distinct attributes. During Kharchi Puja, held in July, the deities are bathed in the waters of the Saidra River (a ritual called 'Snana'), symbolizing purification and renewal. The festival also involves animal sacrifices, which are later offered to the deities, a practice rooted in tribal customs. In Hindu cosmology, these deities are seen as guardians of the Tripura region, embodying the syncretic blend of Vedic and indigenous beliefs.

The Skanda Purana (Kashi Khanda) mentions the importance of river-bathing rituals for deities, which parallels the Kharchi Puja practice. Regional worship is centered in Tripura and parts of Northeast India, where the festival is a major event drawing thousands of devotees. The deities are believed to protect the land from evil spirits and ensure prosperity. The mantras used are in the tribal Kokborok language, reflecting the folk nature of the worship.

The Kharchi Puja thus represents a unique fusion of Puranic Hinduism and local tribal traditions, preserving the ancient heritage of the Tripuri people.

Fourteen deities represented in a temple. Worshipped during the Kharchi Puja festival.