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Kullu Dussehra kicks off with gaiety
Kullu Dussehra, a centuries-old festival, commences on Vijaya Dashami, the day when the festivities come to an end in the rest parts of the country
More than 200 deities from across the valley gathered in Kullu of Himachal as the week-long “International Dussehra Festival” began with gaiety and religious fervour on Tuesday.
Kullu Dussehra, a centuries-old festival, commences on Vijaya Dashami, the day when the festivities come to an end in the rest parts of the country.
Himachal Pradesh governor Shiv Pratap Shukla inaugurated the festival. Supreme Court Judge, Justice Sanjay Karol, member of Parliament from Mandi Pratibha Singh, local members of legislative assembly and chief parliamentary secretary Sunder Singh Thakur were among others present on the occasion.
The day began with the deities gathered for the festival, paying obeisance to the Lord Raghunath. Later, the chariot of Lord Raghunath arrived at the historic Dhalpur grand amid the beats of drums and melodious tunes of traditional musical instruments.
The grand procession saw thousands of devotees and tourists pulling the chariot of Lord Raghunath.
Procession was led by Maheswar Singh, scion of Kullu royal family and former MP. Kullu deputy commissioner said that cultural troupes from around 14 countries would perform during the week-long festival. This countries are Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Panama, Iran, Maldives, Malaysia, Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia.
Many researchers from abroad come to attend the festival for it being a unique congregation of deities. Unlike many other regions in India, the tradition in Kullu does not involve the burning of effigies of Ravana, Meghnada and Kumbhakarna.
Instead, the assembled deities will come together to ceremonially destroy the “evil empire” during the “Lanka Dahan” ritual on the banks of the Beas River on October 30, the concluding day of the festivities.
Kullu Dussehra is believed to have started in 1637 AD during the reign of Raja Jagat Singh in Kullu. He invited all local deities to partake in a ritual honouring Lord Raghunath during Dussehra, and this tradition of the annual assembly of deities from numerous village temples has endured over the centuries.
Following the abolition of princely states, the responsibility now falls to the administration.
In accordance with tradition, devotees carry their deity’s idol in beautifully adorned palanquins from various temples across Kullu Valley to the historical town. These assembled deities actively participate in the Dussehra processions, led by the chariot of Lord Raghunath, both on the first and last days of the festival.
The concluding ceremony will be presided over by Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on October 30. The Kullu valley is renowned for its local demigods who play a significant role in day to day life of locals and regulate their conduct. Each village has its own god and goddess who are revered as living deities.
