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 biggest of its kind 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 party, funds this Hindu religious festival, a tradition that has been ongoing since Tripura's integration into the Indian union, even during Communist rule. Following 517 years of rule by 184 kings, the princely state came under Indian government control on Oct 15, 1949, through a merger agreement. This agreement mandated the Tripura government to continue supporting temples established by Hindu princely rulers, a practice that continues to this day through the Debarchan Vibhag division under district magistrates. Before the five-day worship of Durga and her children begins, a procession led by the head priest seeks the consent of the former royal family at the palace. Many ancient traditions are no longer observed. Debbarma informed IANS that during the five-day festival at Durgabari, a young buffalo, several goats, and pigeons are sacrificed in front of thousands of devotees, all funded by the government. Maneka Gandhi, chairperson of People For Animals (PFA) and current union minister of women and child development, wrote to district magistrates asking them to stop the "cruel killing of animals in temples" during religious celebrations. The district magistrate of West Tripura used to report to the former royal family about preparations at Durgabari and submit a final report after the festival, but this practice has been discontinued. The chief priest of Durgabari temple, Dulal Bhattacharjee, mentioned that the final day of Dashami is when the festival reaches its peak, with the idols of Durgabari leading the procession and being immersed at Dashamighat with full state honors, accompanied by the police band playing the national song. Historian Roy, known for his extensive work on the history of the royal era, mentioned that the 200-year-old Durga Puja stands out for its diverse prasad offerings, which include 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 historical events are prominently featured in the pandals, with decorations reflecting Indian temples and historical events. The pandals will also showcase themes related to India's mission to Mars, climate change, environmental protection, crimes against women, ancient Indian epics, the culture of Hindu Bengalis and tribals, traditional handicraft work, and various historical landmarks from different regions. According to the Tripura Police, a total of 2,335 community and family pujas have been organized in Tripura, with 1,023 in urban areas and 1,312 in rural areas. Agartala alone will host around 550 pujas.