Tripura’s 170-year-old Prabhu Bari Durga Puja blends royal tradition and spirituality

Agartala: Among the many Durga Pujas celebrated in Tripura, the 170-year-old Puja at Agartala’s ‘Prabhu Bari’ holds a unique place.

Rooted in Vaishnavite traditions and patronized by the erstwhile Manikya kings, this Puja remains a bridge between royal rituals and spiritual heritage, drawing devotees and history enthusiasts alike.

‘Prabhu Bari,’ literally meaning the house of the king’s spiritual mentor, is intrinsically linked with the Manikya dynasty that ruled Tripura until the signing of the Instrument of Accession.

For generations, the Puja here has carried deep religious and ceremonial significance for the royal family.

The immersion of the idol at Prabhu Bari precedes that of Durga Bari, the royal family’s temple, in a sequence strictly adhered to even today.

Historians trace the origin of this Puja to the reign of Maharaja Ishan Chandra Manikya (1849–1862).

The king initiated the worship following his association with Prabhu Pada Bipin Bihari Goswami, a Vaishnav saint from the lineage of Nityananda Mahaprabhu, the close associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Goswami, who arrived in Agartala on a religious expedition, is said to have miraculously cured the ailing prince, earning the king’s reverence.

Following the event, the young prince was initiated into spiritual life by Goswami in a ‘Diksha Grahan’ ceremony.

When the prince ascended the throne as Maharaja Ishan Chandra Manikya, he appointed Goswami as Prime Minister and granted him permanent settlement near the Laxmi Narayan Bari temple.

This marked the beginning of a long-standing bond between the saint’s family and the Tripura royal household.

Goswami also brought with him the revered Shaligram Shila, which continues to be worshipped at the Radha Neelkanta Mani Jiu Debata Mandir in Agartala.

A specially crafted ivory throne, almost identical to the royal throne, was prepared to hold the sacred stone. The relic remains at the temple and is venerated during major rituals.

Descendants of the saint still oversee the Puja, which is performed in strict adherence to the Matsya Purana, one of the eighteen major Puranas in Hinduism.

Unlike most Durga Pujas in Bengal and Tripura that follow Shakta traditions, the Prabhu Bari Puja is entirely Vaishnavite in nature, making it distinctive.

Madanbanada Goswami, a descendant of the saint, explained, “All rituals performed here are Vaishnavite and based on the Matsya Purana. This makes our Puja stand apart. The spiritual connection with the royal dynasty gave it immense prestige in the past, and we continue to honor that tradition.”

He recalled how royal patronage once ensured that a share of revenue from Chakla Roshnabad—now in Bangladesh—was allocated to finance the temple’s religious activities.

After Tripura merged with the Indian Union, the family continued to bear expenses for decades before the state government took over in 2009. “The government now looks after all financial requirements for the temple and its festivals,” Goswami said.

Over the years, however, the relationship between the saint’s descendants and the royal family has declined. “During the days of Maharaja Kirit Bikram, there was warmth and regular interaction.

Today, the present royal head only sends someone on Navami to enquire about the Puja,” Goswami observed with a note of regret.

Despite changing times, the ceremonial importance of the Prabhu Bari Puja has not diminished.

On Vijay Dashami, the idol is brought to the royal palace and received with traditional rituals, ahead of the Durga Bari idols.

The immersion procession begins only after Prabhu Bari’s idol is ceremonially taken for visarjan, continuing a 170-year-old sequence rooted in faith and history.