Agartala, The biggest fest of Tripura known as the week-long 'Kharchi festival', began today, and thousands of devotees thronged at the premises of the Chaturdash Devata temple at Puran Agartala, about seven km from here, to offer puja.

The festival was inaugrated by the State Urban Development Minister Manik Dey by lighting lamp in the presence of Deputy Speaker of the Tripura Assembly and other dignitaries.

SP (Police Control) Uttam Bhaumick said, that an dequate security measures were taken with the deployment of state police and Tripura State Rifles. CCTV cameras were also installed to keep close surveillance.

Government borne all the expenses of puja as it was an agreement with the government of India during the merger of the princely state of Tripura in 1949.