The Puja ceremony commenced on Tuesday at the well-known Durgabari temple situated in front of the 113-year-old Ujjayanta Palace, which is the largest in eastern India. Part of the palace still serves as the residence of the former princely rulers, while the rest has been transformed into northeast India's largest museum dedicated to preserving the history, life, and culture of the region. Tripura is unique in that the state government, regardless of political affiliation, actively funds this Hindu religious festival, a tradition that has been ongoing since Tripura's merger with India and has continued even during Communist rule. Following the end of 517 years of rule by 184 kings, the princely state officially came under Indian government control on October 15, 1949, through a merger agreement. The Tripura government is still obligated to sponsor temples established by Hindu princely rulers, a responsibility now managed by a division called Debarchan Vibhag under district magistrates in four of the state's eight districts. Before the five-day Durga worship ceremony begins, a procession led by the head priest, accompanied by the Tripura Police, seeks permission from the former royal family at the palace. Many ancient traditions are no longer practiced today. Debbarma informed IANS that during the five-day festival at Durgabari, a young buffalo, several goats, and pigeons are sacrificed in front of numerous devotees, all funded by the government. Maneka Gandhi, chairperson of People for Animals (PFA) and current union minister of women and child development, sent a letter to district magistrates urging them to stop the cruel killing of animals in temples during religious events. The district magistrate of West Tripura used to report to the former royal family about the preparations at Durgabari and submit a final report after the festival, but this practice has now been discontinued. The chief priest of Durgabari temple, Dulal Bhattacharjee, explained that the festival reaches its peak on the final day of Dashami when the idols are immersed at Dashamighat with full state honors and the national song played by the police band. Historian Roy, known for writing many books on the history of the royal era, pointed out the uniqueness of the over 200-year-old Durga Puja, noting that the prasad includes meat, fish, eggs, and fruits. While the Durgabari temple's celebration of Durga Puja remains a major attraction for various reasons, community pujas organized by clubs and families also garner significant attention. Traditional themes, current issues, and events are prominent in the pandals, with Indian temples and historical events featuring in the decorations. The pandals will also showcase themes such as India's mission to Mars, climate change, global warming, environmental protection, crimes against women, ancient Indian epics, folk traditions, and the culture of Hindu Bengalis and tribals. Additionally, traditional handicrafts, Tripura's royal palace, Kolkata's Birla Planetarium, Guwahati's Kamakhya Temple, Konarak's Sun Temple, Kashmir's snow-capped hills and Dal Lake, Bombay High, and a Buddhist temple in China will be depicted in the puja marquees. The Tripura Police reported that 2,335 community and family pujas have been organized across Tripura, with 1,023 in urban areas and 1,312 in rural areas, including around 550 pujas in and around Agartala.