Dussehra in Kullu valley is a much awaited and celebrated festival. This legendary festival has various myths, stories and anecdotes attached; each tale beautifully capturing the symbolic importance of the festival. This week-long festival starts with a procession of Lord Raghunath, along with other deities, carried on a Ratha across the town. The village Gods and minor deities are also a part of this celebration. The centre of the festivities is the Dhalpur maidan.
305 deities joining Rath Yatra after nearly a century in 2016
The pleasant weather and breathtaking beauty of the valley along with the celebrations fill the visitors with eternal happiness and satisfaction. The festival gets merrier with dancing, drinking and feasting for a week. The Kala Kendra festival is held at night where several activities and cultural events take place. Thousands of people from all over the country and world visit this place during Dussehra. The festival is very well organizedOn the 6th day of the festival, an assembly of the village which only makes the experience worth remembering. Devtastake place which is definitely a sight which one must watch.
The last day of the celebrations is marked by sacrifices; a fish, a crab, a rooster, a buffalo and a lamb are sacrificed and a huge bonfire is lit. This mega-festival witnesses the worshipping of around 250-300 idols from the adjoining villages of Kullu. The idol of Raghunath ji is brought back to its original place through a grand procession. Various cultural processions from different countries are invited, almost like the processions during our national festivals. Thus one can see the difference between the Kullu Dussehra and the Dussehra being celebrated in different parts of the country. The grandeur and celebration at Kullu Dussehra are something which every visitor here will always treasure…