Agartala, Oct 4 (IANS) After the five-day-long Durga Puja festival, a series of eye-catching and colourful cultural performances marked the grand ‘Mayer Gaman’ carnival here on Saturday, formally bringing the curtain down on the biggest annual festival of the Hindus and other communities.

Cultural, traditional, and diverse customs of various states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Maharashtra, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat were showcased at the ‘Mayer Gaman’ carnival.

The 4th ‘Mayer Gamon carnival’, organised by the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, this year witnessed the participation of more than 42 community puja idols including that of Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Durga idols.

All Durga and other idols, adorned with colourful decorations and ferried on beautifully decorated trucks and trailers, passed through various parts of the capital city before their immersion in the Howrah (also called Haora) River at Dashamighat is the capital city.

Various clubs and puja organisers, during their processions with Durga idols, also showcased contemporary themes, including the Armed Forces’ successful ‘Operation Sindoor’, carried out in retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam (Jammu and Kashmir) on April 22.

Terming the ‘Mayer Gaman’ carnival as the biggest cultural event in Tripura, Chief Minister Manik Saha said the event has become an annual feature in the state’s cultural calendar since 2022.

He said that during the ‘Mayer Gaman’ carnival, several cultural troupes showcased the state’s rich and traditional heritage. The BJP government aims to further strengthen and promote the cultural and traditional aspects of the state, said CM Saha, who also holds the Information and Cultural Affairs portfolio.

He added that the five-day-long Durga Puja festival (September 28 to October 2) was celebrated smoothly and peacefully across Tripura, and thanked the police, power, and other departments for their wholehearted efforts in ensuring its success.

Information and Cultural Affairs Department’s Secretary Pradeep Kumar Chakravarty said that three best clubs and puja organisers participating in the ‘Mayer Gaman’ carnival will be awarded at a ceremony.

He said that the state government will also organise another annual event — ‘Sarad Samman’ soon during which as many as 43 clubs across the state will be awarded for organising Durga Puja successfully highlighting contemporary, traditional and historical traditions.

Hundreds of people attended the colorful event and enjoyed the evening with their family members as the sky was clear unlike the puja days which were partially marred due to intermittent rains.

This year, according to Tripura police chief Anurag, in the state, around 3,000 community pujas, up from 2,750 in 2024, were organised.

Among the state’s eight districts, in West Tripura district, 775 community pujas were organised this year. Besides the community pujas, a large number of Durga Pujas were held in the homes and premises of affluent families.

Additional 8,000 police and other forces personnel were deployed in all the eight districts of the state to ensure the peaceful celebration of Durga Puja.

Over 400 women police personnel and a large number of plainclothes security personnel also assisted other security agencies in ensuring the festivities remain incident-free and peaceful.

DGP Anurag said that a large number of CCTV cameras and watchtowers have been installed at important, sensitive, mixed-populated, crowded locations and big-budget pujas to manage the pandal hoppers and other crowds.

Vigilance along the India-Bangladesh borders and also with Assam and Tripura was tightened, and the state authorities had asked the BSF to maintain a strict vigil along the international border to foil any infiltration attempt and cross-border movement of inimical elements, he added.

–IANS

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