Chaturdas Devata Temple — Attraction in Tripura

Chaturdasha Temple is a Hindu temple in Agartala, Tripura, India, and features the Tripuri dome patterned after the roofs of village huts in Tripura. The dome is surmounted by a stupa-like structure which reveals traces of Buddhist influence. This temple was built in honour of fourteen deities, together called the Chaturdasha Devata. Devotees visit the temple for the kharchi festival.

It was built by King Krishna Manikya of Tripura in 1760, when Agartala became the capital city.

In May 2023, the Tripura government began refurbishing the temple and capital complex. Old Agartala is 6km away from the present Capital City of Agartala where the Temple of fourteen Gods is located. Before 1770 A.D the images of Fourteen Gods were in Udaipur in two Temples beside Tripureswar Bhairab Temple. In 1770 A.D Maharaja Krishna Kishore Manikya being defeated by Shamsher Gaze, shifted his capital from Udaipur to Old Agartala and the images of Fourteen Gods were also taken to the capital and installed in a new Temple. Capital was once more shifted to the present Agartala in 1840 A.D. but the images of Fourteen Gods remained in the same Temple at Agartala.

On the occasion of the special puja of the Fourteen Gods known as ‘Kharchi Puja’, a grand mela or fair is held for 7 days in and around the Old palace. It is a popular religious shrine where thousands of devotees across the country assemble to celebrate Kharchi Festival with great pomp.

The worship of the Fourteen Gods has an old history and legend associated with it. During the time of Mahabharata, Trilochana, a contemporary of Yudhisthira, was the king of Tripura who used to worship these Fourteen Gods as Royal deities. The tradition continued with all the subsequent Kings of Tripura. Kharchi Puja observed during the month of Ashar (July) is very famous in Tripura. Animal sacrifices offered by the devotees are an integral feature of Kharchi puja. Inside the temple the images of Fourteen Gods do not consist of full body- only the images of heads of the Gods are there.

HAVELI MUSEUM: the additional for the tourist attraction at Old Agartala is a museum of living cultural heritage i. e. Haveli Museum. The temple is fondly called the Chaudda Devata Mandir. The fourteen deities worshipped at the Chaturdasha temple Tripura are called Burasa, Lampra, Bikhatra, Akhatra, Thumnairok, Sangroma, Bonirok, Twima, Songram, Mwtaikotor, Mailuma, Noksumwtai, Swkalmwtai and Khuluma in Kokborok. These deities are the local forms of Hindu Gods and Goddesses who are Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi, Kartikeya, Saraswati, Ganesha, Samudra, Prithvi, Agni, Ganga, Himadri and Kamadeva respectively. These deities and the Gods represented here have completely influenced the people of this state which is called the Country of Fourteen Gods and Goddesses. People from the neighboring states also come here in large numbers every year to pray for peace, happiness and prosperity.

All fourteen are the presiding deities of this temple as they are the Gods and Goddesses that were originally worshipped by the royal family of Tripura. The ritual of worshipping all of them together has been handed down from the days when kings used to rule this region. Each of them represents a God or Goddess who is very important in the Hindu religion and therefore, they all have equal stature as far as the worship at the temple is concerned and are worshipped with equal reverence during the festivals. The idols were originally tribal but were later inducted into Hindu customs. The typical characteristics of the idols that distinguish them from other temples are their form that signifies tribal influence. The deities are worshipped in the form of heads only i.e. none of the idols have any trunk with hands and legs. The formations of the idols start from the shoulder upwards up to the crowns that sit on the top of their heads. The idols are made of alloy except one which is made of silver. This idol is of Lord Shiva. The fourteen deities make up the main attractions of the temple. Tripura is called the land of the...

Chaturdasa Devata temple is in Agartala city which means fourteen Gods and Goddesses temple.Temple was built by the Tripura king and is now a famous place for the tourists.Fourteen Gods and Goddesses are worshipped here by the Tripuris. Kharchi puja is a mela which is organised once in a year and is attended by lakhs of people. There is a pond near the temple for bathing and other rituals. A tree called Krishna Bat can be seen near the temple. Krishna Bat means Krishna’s butter cup. It is said Krishna used to hide the butter in this leaf by rolling it up. A very nice temple to be...

Built around 1760 infront of big lake when the royals shifted the capital from udaipur to old agartala,the simple temple hosting the tutelary or protection dieties of kings have the fourteen heads of gods and goddesses according to Info on the wall are open to public during the festival week of the year only.As of oct 26th the central sanctorum is empty with imaginary tiny metal idol beneath the covered cloth and rest of temple is closed.As you will not get chance to see the metal portraits,there's nothing much to do here unless you are blind spiritual follower of...