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. A portion of the palace remains the residence of the former princely rulers, while the rest has been transformed into the largest museum in northeast India, preserving the region's history, life, and culture. Tripura is unique in that the state government, regardless of political affiliation, actively supports this Hindu religious festival, a tradition that has continued since Tripura's integration into the Indian union and even during Communist rule in the state. 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 required the Tripura government to continue funding temples previously run by the Hindu princely rulers, a responsibility now managed by a specific division under district magistrates in four of Tripura's eight districts. Before the five-day worship of Durga and her four children begins, a procession led by the head priest, accompanied by Tripura Police, seeks permission from the former royal family at the palace. Nagendra Debbarma, a senior official, noted that some 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 requesting them to stop the "cruel killing of animals in temples" during religious celebrations. The district magistrate of West Tripura used to provide written updates to the former royal family on the preparations at Durgabari and submit a final report after the festival, but this practice has been discontinued. Chief priest Dulal Bhattacharjee mentioned that the true grandeur of the festival is seen on the final day of Dashami, when the idols of Durgabari are immersed at Dashamighat with full state honors and the police band playing the national song. Historian Roy, who has authored numerous books on the history of the royal era, highlighted the unique aspects of the over 200-year-old Durga Puja, such as the inclusion of meat, fish, eggs, and fruits in the prasad. While the Durgabari temple's celebration of Durga Puja remains a major attraction, community pujas organized by clubs and families also garner significant attention. Traditional themes, current issues, and historical events are featured in the pandals, with decorations depicting Indian temples, historical events, India's mission to Mars, and climate change. Various aspects of Hindu Bengali and tribal culture, as well as iconic landmarks such as Tripura's royal palace and Kolkata's Birla Planetarium, are also showcased in the puja marquees. The Tripura Police reported that 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, including approximately 550 pujas in and around Agartala.