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Kullu Dussehra is none other than the Dussehra festival celebrated all over India. Celebrated in October/November at the Dhalpur Maidan in Kullu town, Kullu Dussehra is one of the major festivals of Himachal. The Kullu valley starts celebrating the Dussehra on the tenth day of the rising moon – 'Vijay Dashmi' – and continues it for seven days.
Kullu Valley is also known as the Valley of the Living Gods in the North India. Like in whole India, the festival celebrates the victory of the God Ram over Ravana i.e. the victory of good over evil. The Kullu Raja and village deities lead the Rath Yatra of the idol of Lord Ragunath. The Rath Yatra is considered as the running of the Gods.
The history of Kullu Dussehra dates back to the 17th century when an idol of God Raghunath was installed by local King Jagat Singh on his throne as a mark of reparation, and declared God Raghunath as the ruling deity of the Kullu Valley. Kullu Dussehra has been accorded as an international festival, attracting big number of tourists for the occasion.
The week-long international fair witnesses the main deity Raghunath Ji accompanied by hundreds of local deities. Several other activities including cultural programs, sports competition, exhibitions and much more are also held in the big event. A bunch of religious ceremonies, cultural activities as well as socializing and shopping at the huge bazaar (market) are organized at the mela (fair) ground. Another major attraction of the huge ceremony is the International Folk Festival.
History of Dussehra in Kullu
According to a local legend, a Brahmin priest was accidentally killed by Kullu’s king Raja Jagat Singh around the 17th century. To make up for his act, the king left his throne and put an idol of Lord Raghunath on the empty throne and pledged that only the lord and his successors would rule the Kingdom of Kullu from then on. Later, the king went to Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, and got his statue and placed it on his throne. It is believed that Lord Raghunath invites other gods from heaven to celebrate Dussehra in Kullu since then.
How is Dussehra celebrated in Kullu?
The celebrities are a little different as on the day of Dussehra, the devotees in Kullu carry out a procession wherein they carry the idols of different gods on their heads and meet Lord Raghunath (Lord Ram) in the temple. Hundreds of gods are brought on the temple grounds on the day of Dussehra, including Hadimba (the prime deity of the Kullu kings) and Jamlu Rishi (the deity of Malana village) among others. During this seven-day festival, the residents indulge in various entertaining cultural activities such as dancing, singing and other cultural programmes.
Himachal Pradesh is not only a place of enchanting landscapes and mystifying woods but also colorful festivals. Through the fairs and festivals in Himachal Pradesh, the state upholds and displays to the world its rich tradition, friendly people and amazing splendours. Every month brings about a new celebration time with a wide set of Himachal Pradesh festivals. These serve the needs of social integration not only for economic sustenance but also for cultural survival. Some of these have come down hand in hand with age-old tradition while some others have developed in recent times. Generally the fairs are held at such a time when the people are free from their household engagements. In remote places when winter brings life to a standstill, the fairs, festivals and events brings the fun and frolic. Thus, these festivals and events are inseparable parts of Himachal Pradesh society. Fairs give them an opportunity to purchase and sell needed articles. Traders from far and near join these festivals to display articles like clothes, wool, pashmina, furs, leather, hides and skins, pottery, metal ware, jewellery, ornaments, fruits, vegetables and many other local products. They bring forth the religion, rituals, belief and are abound in folk songs, dance forms and other lucid expressions of the people of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal is a land of Devi and Devtas – land of gods and most of the fairs are of mythological nature. But to keep on rhythm in various walks of life, fairs have occupied predominant role and acquired varied dimensions, such as trade, agricultural, seasonal and fairs connected with festivals etc. There is hardly any village where no fair is held. There is almost continuous succession of fairs.
