The Puja commenced on Tuesday at the renowned Durgabari temple, situated in front of the 113-year-old Ujjayanta Palace, the largest in eastern India. Part of the palace still houses former princely rulers, while the rest has been transformed into northeast India's largest museum preserving the history, life, and culture of the region. Tripura is unique in that the state government, regardless of political affiliation, consistently funds this Hindu religious festival. This tradition dates back to Tripura's integration into the Indian union and has continued even during Communist rule. Following a 517-year rule by 184 kings, the princely state officially joined the Indian government on Oct 15, 1949, under a merger agreement. This agreement mandated the Tripura government to support temples previously funded by the Hindu princely rulers, a responsibility now overseen by 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 permission from the former royal family at the palace. Many ancient traditions are no longer observed. Debbarma stated 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, the chairperson of People For Animals (PFA) and current union minister of women and child development, sent a letter to district magistrates asking them to stop the cruel killing of animals during religious festivities. Previously, the district magistrate of West Tripura had to report to the former royal family about the 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, explained that the final day of Dashami is when the festival reaches its peak, with the idols of Durgabari being immersed at Dashamighat with full state honors and the national song played by the police band. Historian Roy, who is known for his numerous books on the history of the royal era, described the over 200-year-old Durga Puja as unique because its prasad includes a variety of offerings such as meat, fish, eggs, and fruits. While the Durgabari temple's celebration of Durga Puja is a major attraction for various reasons, community pujas organized by clubs and families also garner a significant amount of attention. Traditional themes, current issues, and historical events are prominent features of the pandals, with decorations depicting Indian temples and historical events. Various topics such as India's mission to Mars, climate change, environmental protection, crimes against women, ancient Indian epics, and the culture of Hindu Bengalis and tribals are represented through colorful lighting in the pandals. Additionally, landmarks such as 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 are also depicted in the puja marquees. 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. Around 550 pujas are taking place in and around Agartala alone.