Tripura celebrates Chaitra Sankranti with traditional fairs and folk rituals

Tripura marked the end of the Bengali year with vibrant celebrations of Chaitra Sankranti, a festival that blends devotion, folk culture, and community gatherings. The last day of the month of Chaitra, also the final day of the year, was observed across the state with age-old rituals and fairs, reflecting the deep cultural roots of the region.

In areas such as Kalyanpur, Mohorchhara, Ratiya, and Dwarikapur Kalibari, communities came together for the Charak festival, where devotees climbed the Charak tree to offer prayers amid the beats of traditional drums. The Gajan festival, dedicated to deities like Shiva and Dharma, featured folk songs and performances, continuing agrarian traditions that seek blessings for rain and relief from the scorching summer sun.

Chaitra Sankranti fairs drew large crowds, with stalls selling bamboo, cane, clay, and metal utensils, toys, and seasonal fruits. While circuses and puppet shows once entertained visitors, these have now faded, leaving behind simpler amusements. The fairs also carried echoes of history, with scholars noting that such gatherings may have originated as occasions for zamindars to collect taxes, later evolving into cultural celebrations.

Tripura’s tribal communities also observed their own year-end traditions. In the hill districts, indigenous groups celebrated Biju festival, preparing diverse dishes, bathing elders as a mark of respect, and engaging in music and dance. The festival also served as preparation for jhum cultivation, which begins with the onset of monsoon.

For Tripura, Chaitra Sankranti is more than a festival — it is a moment of transition, bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new with prayers, rituals, and community joy. From Charak tree rituals to Biju feasts, the celebrations highlight the state’s rich cultural fabric, where tradition and agriculture converge to mark the turning of the year.