The Puja started on Tuesday at the well-known Durgabari temple, located in front of the Ujjayanta Palace, which is eastern India's largest of its kind. Part of the palace is still home to 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 its state government, regardless of political party, has consistently funded this Hindu religious festival since the state's merger with India. After 517 years of rule by 184 kings, the princely state came under Indian government control in 1949. The merger agreement required the Tripura government to continue sponsoring temples established by the Hindu rulers, a tradition that has continued for over six decades. A specialized division, Debarchan Vibhag, overseen by district magistrates in four of Tripura's eight districts, is responsible for funding the maintenance of several temples, including Durgabari. Prior to the five-day worship of Durga and her children, a procession led by the head priest, accompanied by Tripura Police, seeks permission from the former royal family at the palace to commence the puja at Durgabari. Nagendra Debbarma, a senior official, noted that many ancient traditions are no longer observed. Debbarma mentioned that during the five-day festival at Durgabari, a young buffalo, several goats, and pigeons are sacrificed in front of thousands of devotees, all paid for by the government. Maneka Gandhi from People For Animals (PFA) wrote to district magistrates asking them to stop the cruel killing of animals during religious festivities at temples. The district magistrate of West Tripura used to report to the former royal family about the preparations at Durgabari, but this practice has now been discontinued. The chief priest of Durgabari temple, Dulal Bhattacharjee, explained that the final day of the festival, Dashami, is when the real splendor is on display. The idols of Durgabari lead the procession and are immersed at Dashamighat with full state honors, accompanied by a police band playing the national song. Historian Roy, known for his numerous books on the history of the royal era, stated that the Durga Puja, which has been celebrated for over 200 years, stands out because its prasad includes a variety of offerings such as 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. The decorations at pandals often revolve around traditional themes, current issues, and historical events, with Indian temples and historical landmarks being prominently featured. Additionally, pandals are being used to showcase 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. Various landmarks such as Tripura's royal palace, Kolkata's Birla Planetarium, Guwahati's Kamakhya Temple, Konarak's Sun Temple, Kashmir's scenic beauty, and a Buddhist temple in China are also being depicted through puja marquees. In Tripura alone, there are a total of 2,335 community and family pujas being organized, with 1,023 in urban areas and 1,312 in rural areas, and approximately 550 pujas taking place in and around Agartala.