Hundreds of devotees in Tripura's capital city Agartala celebrated 'Kali Puja' by offering prayers to Goddess Kali.
Swapan Majumder, a devotee, said, "It is celebrated as 'Shyama Puja', which resembles the women empowerment and signals the victory of good over evil."
People irrespective of their religion, caste and creed gather to celebrate the annual festival at the Umamaheshwari Temple with full fervour. The history of puja dates back from the time of the Maharajas and is still celebrated in a traditional manner.
Temples and houses are brightly illuminated on the occasion and devotees offer sweets to the goddess.
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, along with his wife Niti Deb, also took part in the celebration and conveyed their wishes on the occasion.
Kali symbolises power and is an incarnation of Goddess Durga. She is worshipped to show respect towards women. The Kali Puja has evolved from a household ritual to a community event encompassing people from all walks of life. The festival is marked by prayers, processions, and musical programmes.
In Tripura, idols of Goddess Kali were placed in illuminated and well-decorated puja pandals as part of the festival celebrations. Innovative and contemporary themes were also used for the pandals.
Kali Puja is a major festival in Tripura and West Bengal. In the remaining parts of the country, people worship Goddess Lakshmi on the occasion of Diwali, or the festival of lights.
According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Kali is the first of the ten incarnations of Goddess Durga. Depicted with a fierce face and terrifying look, Goddess Kali is regarded as the most aggressive form of Goddess Durga.
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