Situated in North East part of India
Total Area: 10.490 Sq. Km
60% Forest, 60 % Hilly Terrain and 52.76% Forest cover, 25 % Net area, 39% Reserve Forest, 30% Operational Holding
Temperate : 10- 35 degree Celsius
Average Rainfall Annually : 2100Km
Highest Rainfall : Kamalpur, 2855mm
Lowest Rainfall : Sonamur, 1811 mm
Languages Spoken : Kakborak and Bengali.
Tripura is a land of unique splendor, a former princely state established on 21st January, 1972. The place is a hilly territory with varying altitudes from 50-3080ft above the sea level. The place is best recommended to visit in the month of October during monsoons. It is the third smallest state in India, located on the northern-eastern part and is surrounded with international border with Bangladesh. It also shares boundary with Mizoram and Assam to east. The mystic land has got rich cultural heritage and thus distinct from other states with its numerous tribal groups. The state can be best described as the “Exotic Cultural fusion”.
As Tripura state is dominated by Hindus, there are various festivals been celebrated, which are uncommon as compared with the rest of festive in India. Tripurians celebrate various festivals throughout the year with full dedication and competence. The festivals such as Karchi Puja, Ker Puja, Garia Puja, Dol Jatra, Diwali, Pous Sanskranti, Buddha Jayanti, New Year, ID, Christmas and Ashokashtmi are celebrated. But the main festivals celebrated in Tripura are Kharcha Puja, Ker Puja and Garai Puja.
Kharchi Puja :
The Kharchi Puja is celebrated in the month of July at Agartala. As the state is enriched in cultural beliefs, this puja is celebrated by both tribal and non-tribal. The puja is honored for seven days by worshipping fourteen deities. Tripurians says that “Kharchi” means Khya which is belief to be a corrupt form of earth and hence to purify the earth, this puja is held. The tribes sacrifice goats and pigeons for the deities in order to get return blessings from the fourteen deities.
Ker Puja :
The term Ker refers to “Austerity” and is another most important festival celebrated in Tripura after Kharchi Puja. The celebrations are continued for 14 days, besides this it is considered as a strict puja among others. During the puja, a particular area is selected where a boundary is been mark. At the entrance and exit of boundary, no one is allowed to leave the puja till it gets completely finished. If an individual enter inside the area by mistakenly, he has to remain there unless the puja is entirely completed. This puja is worshipped to purify the earth that turns unholy during the end of Kharcha Puja. The puja starts from 8am or 10 am and hence no one is allowed to talk or laugh in between. Once the puja gets finished, people present over there shares “Tirth- Prasad” amongst each other.
Garia Puja :
If u truly love God, then you must have experienced the powerful blessings and sometimes sins He gives. The Garia Puja is celebrated to adore Lord Garai who provides eternal peace, wealth, children and livestock with its power. The festival is celebrated at the end of Chaitra month in April and lasts for seven days. A huge bamboo signifies Lord Garia is immortal and thus is worshipped with flowers and garlands. In this Puja, riccha, rice beer, fowl chick, earthen pots, cotton thread, rice, wine, eggs and mud is used. After that a fowl chick is sacrifice and its blood is been sprinkle on the Lord to get blessings from the Garia. During the festival, children drums are played, people dance, sing and various music are performed in order to appease Lord Garai.