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Fairs and Festivals of Tripura
Of the numerous festivals celebrated in Tripura, the worship of fourteen Gods popularly known as "Kharchi Puja" commands the greatest fervid celebration and pride. This is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the month of July every year. Again, Ker and Garia Puja- these two traditional tribal festivals, need special mention, which starts generally fifteen days after the Kharchi Puja. It is believed that this puja is performed for the welfare of the state and its people. The puja is carried out within a specific boundary & during the puja nobody is allowed to enter or come out of this specified boundary. The Garia Puja is performed on the seventh day of the month of Baisakh (April). When the Puja is over, the devotees, men and women indulge in dancing.
Another notable tribal festival is Ganga Puja, held in March-April every year. To perform the puja people of several villages build a temple of bamboo just on the middle of the river. They sacrifice goats, buffaloes and ganders and pray to God to save them from epidemic disease. Durga Puja in the month of October is one of the most popular festivals of Tripura. Next comes Diwali, on the occasion of which each year a big fair is held near Matabari in the temple of Tripura Sundari at Udaipur. "Ashokastami fair" is held at Unakoti Tirtha at Kalishahar every year in the spring. Thousands of pilgrims assemble here to offer prayers to the images of Goddesses engraved on the hilly rocks.
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