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{{Hatnote|For the worship of river [[Ganges]] on the ghats of Varanasi see [[Dashashwamedh Ghat#Ganga aarti|Dashashwamedh Ghat§Ganga aarti]].}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = Ganga Puja
|observedby = [[Tripuri people]]
|image = Morning Aarti of the Ganges at sunrise, Varanasi.jpg
|caption = Morning Aarti of the Ganges at sunrise, Varanasi
|nickname =
|longtype =
|begins =
|ends =
|date = In March/April/May (Decided by the Hindu [[Lunisolar calendar]])
|celebrations = Worshipping river/stream
|type = Hindu
|date2014 =
|date2015 =
|relatedto =
}}

'''[[Ganga (goddess)|Ganga]] puja''' is a [[religious festival]] of the [[Northeast India|northeastern state]] of [[Tripura]] in India. The tribal [[Tripuri people]] worship the Goddess of the river, and pray to be saved from epidemic diseases and for the well-being of [[pregnant women]]. The celebration involves building a temple of bamboo in the middle of the river or a water stream. The [[Ganges in Hinduism|River Ganges]], known locally as Ganga, is one of the fourteen prime deities worshipped in this region. The festival is popularly celebrated throughout the state somewhere in March, April or May, with its date fixed according to the [[Hindu calendar|Hindu Lunisolar calendar]]. The 2018 date is 24 May.<ref>http://www.festivalsdatetime.co.in/2016/06/2018-Ganga-Dussehra-Puja-Date-Time-in-India-2018.html#axzz57fcGnpvP</ref>

==Custom==
Ganga puja is celebrated after the [[Navanna|Navanna festival]], which marks the [[rice]] harvest. Its date is variable, but falls in March or April.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oP4vH-4oSEcC&pg=PA57 | title=The Music and Musical Instruments of North Eastern India | publisher=Mittal Publications | author=Dilip Ranjan Barthakur | year=2003 | page=57 | isbn=8170998816}}</ref> It worships the river goddess of the Ganga, or Ganges, one of the fourteen foremost deities of Tripura.<ref>{{cite book | title=Tribal Pujas and Festivals in Tripura | publisher=Directorate of Tripura State Tribal Cultural Research Institute and Museum, Government of Tripura | author=Priyabrata Bhattacharyya | year=1994 | pages=49}}</ref> On this occasion, tribal communities assemble on the banks of a stream or river and "pare three pieces of bamboo into beautiful flowers".{{cn|date=September 2020}} After this they build a temporary temple in the middle of the stream, also made out of bamboo, and hold celebrations reverently.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mq0dAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Ganga+puja%22+tripura&q=%22Ganga+puja%22 | title=Tripura through the ages: a short history of Tripura from the earliest times to 1947 A.D. | publisher=Stirling | author=Nalini Ranjan Roychoudhury | year=1983 | page=100}}</ref> Adult male geese, goats, and even buffalo are sacrificed to the gods, in the belief that through such offerings the gods may use their power to prevent epidemic diseases.{{cn|date=September 2020}} Another purpose of the festival is that the gods are reverently asked to ensure the well-being of [[pregnant women]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-Do9AAAAMAAJ&q=%22Ganga+puja%22+tripura&dq=%22Ganga+puja%22+tripura | title=The Chakmas of Tripura | publisher=Tripura State Tribal Cultural Research Institute & Museum, Government of Tripura | author=Pannalal Majumdar | year=1997 | page=162}}</ref> Throughout the state of Tripura traditional dance forms part of the festival of worship.<ref name="Sircar2006">{{cite book|author=Sircar|title=The Consumer in the North-East: New Vistas for Marketing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8uXKmDJdXW4C&pg=PA47|date=1 September 2006|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=978-81-317-0023-5|page=47}}</ref>

==Related events==
To pay for the festival, financial contributions were levied on the people of the tribes by the priests and those in authority under the hereditary ruler of the state of Tripura. In 1943, these charges were raised from {{INR|link=Indian rupee}} 2 to {{INR}} 4 ([[Indian rupee]]s), leading to widespread protests against this increase by the tribespeople, but their objections were quelled.<ref name="Bareh2001">{{cite book|author=Hamlet Bareh|title=Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Tripura|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fk8kq9PUapkC&pg=PA7|year=2001|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-795-5|pages=7, 43}}</ref>

Following the [[Independence Day (India)|independence]] and [[Partition of India|partition]] of what had been [[British India]] in August 1947, the acting ruler of the [[Tripura (princely state)|State of Tripura]], the [[regency|regent]] [[Kanchan Prava Devi]], did not [[Instrument of Accession|accede]] to the new [[Dominion of India|Union of India]],<ref name=history>[https://tripura.gov.in/history Historical background] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212025134/http://tripura.gov.in/history |date=2015-02-12 }} at Tripura.gov.in, accessed 8 November 2014</ref> and this began an organized movement in the state called the [[Ganamukti Parishad|Mukti Parishad]], the aim of which was to end the rule of the Maharajahs of Tripura and establish democracy instead. In 1948 the leader of this movement, Desharrath Debbarma, used the occasion of the Ganga puja to raise funds by charging {{INR}} 1 from each family for the Mukti Parishad. However, the activities of his movement were put down, it became less and less active, and in 1950 it finally merged with the Communist Party.<ref name="Bhaumik1996">{{cite book|author=Subir Bhaumik|title=Insurgent Crossfire: North-East India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iftjFki3fhYC&pg=PA95|year=1996|publisher=Lancer Publishers|isbn=978-1-897829-12-7|page=95}}</ref> In the meantime, Tripura had acceded to the new India in October 1949.<ref name=history/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Religious festivals in India]]
[[Category:Festivals in Tripura]]
[[Category:Hindu festivals]]
[[Category:Religion in Tripura]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:April observances]]
[[Category:May observances]]

Ganga puja - Revision history

imported>Goutam1962 at 13:13, 17 July 2021