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Kharchi Puja: the fourteen gods of Tripura go to the river
Fourteen gods, only their heads, carried to the river for a bath in the monsoon
Kharchi Puja is Tripura's largest festival: seven days of worship and a fair at the temple of the fourteen gods, the Chaturdasha Devata, in Old Agartala, about 14 km from Agartala. It begins on the eighth lunar day of the bright half of Ashadha, usually in July, when the fourteen deities, worshipped only as heads, are carried to the river for a bath. Dates: 11–17 July 2027 (expected); the Tripura holiday list confirms the day.
The day follows the lunar calendar; the Tripura holiday list, published in November or December of the previous year, confirms it, and the West Tripura district holds the preparatory meeting about a month before.
The legend
Kharchi comes from khya, earth: the festival honours Mother Earth and the fourteen gods who form the dynastic deity of the Tripuri.
It comes 15 days after Ama Pechi, a time when the soil is neither ploughed nor dug, and Kharchi purifies the earth anew.
The royal house of Tripura began the festival when its capital was at Old Agartala; Krishna Manikya built the Fourteen Gods temple there in 1760.
Customs
The gods' bath
On the puja day the Chantai carry the fourteen deities, worshipped only as heads, to the Saidra river, bathe them and bring them back.
A week of the fair
For seven days a large fair runs beside the temple, with cultural programmes each evening.
What happens over the seven days
On the puja day, the first of the seven, the Chantai, the Tripuri priests of the temple, carry the fourteen deities to the Saidra river, bathe them in its water and bring them back. In the temple they are decorated with flowers and vermilion is placed on each forehead. The gods are worshipped only as heads, and a Tripuri tribal priest and a Brahmin officiate side by side: the arrangement the Manikya kings made between the two religions of their state still works here in a living temple.
For the rest of the week a large fair runs beside the temple, with cultural programmes every evening. People of every community come, tribal and non-tribal, and the state government now sponsors the festival.
What the festival means
The word kharchi is derived from khya, earth, and the festival honours Mother Earth together with the fourteen gods who form the dynastic deity of the Tripuri. It comes fifteen days after Ama Pechi, a time when the soil is neither ploughed nor dug, and Kharchi purifies the earth anew. The royal house of Tripura began it when its capital was at Old Agartala; Maharaja Krishna Manikya, who moved the capital there, built the temple of the fourteen gods in 1760. The state portal calls it a festival that has linked the past with the present.
Visiting: getting there and what to expect
Kharchi Puja is a state holiday in Tripura and draws thousands of pilgrims to Old Agartala.
- Getting there — The temple is about 14 km from Agartala. Agartala airport is 12 km north-west of the city, and Agartala railway station is linked to Guwahati and the rest of India. Base yourself in Agartala and go out by road.
- Offerings — Besides flowers and sweets, the temple's traditional rites include animal sacrifice (Wikipedia names goats and pigeons; press reports name the Fourteen Gods temple among Tripura's temples where it is practised). If you would rather not see it, keep away from the sacrifice area, and do not photograph the rites.
- Monsoon — The festival falls in the monsoon, so plan for rain on the road and at the fair.
- Official advice — The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) notes that protests, blockades and large gatherings are common in the north-eastern states, can happen without warning and may disrupt highways; it advises avoiding protests and following local authorities. It also reports skirmishes on the India–Bangladesh border and advises checking with local authorities before visiting border areas.
FAQ
When is Kharchi Puja?
Next: 11–17 July 2027 (expected). It begins on Ashadha Shukla Ashtami, the eighth lunar day of the bright half of Ashadha, usually in July and in some years at the end of June.
How many days does Kharchi Puja last?
Seven days, with the river bath of the fourteen deities on the first day and a fair with evening programmes through the week.
In which state is Kharchi Puja celebrated?
In Tripura, at the Chaturdasha Devata (Fourteen Gods) temple in Old Agartala, West Tripura district.
What does Kharchi mean?
It is derived from khya, earth: the festival honours Mother Earth and the fourteen gods of the Tripuri dynasty.
Sources (7)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.