International Kullu Dussehra festival will begin from Wednesday in Kullu, the Devbhoomi of Himachal Pradesh. Governor Kavinder Gupta will inaugurate the seven-day Dev Mahakumbh to be organized at the historic Dhalpur grounds in the afternoon. This festival, which will run from 21st to 27th October, will see a unique confluence of faith in God, age-old traditions, Himachali folk culture and international cultural programs. Dussehra committee has invited 347 gods and goddesses of Kullu district for the celebration. By Tuesday evening, more than 200 gods and goddesses had reached Dhalpur with their deities and traditional musical instruments.
The main attraction of the International Kullu Dussehra Utsav will be the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath starting at 4 pm on Wednesday. Before this, the gods and goddesses arriving from different areas will be present in the court of Lord Raghunath. According to traditional customs, Rath Yatra will be taken out after the puja. During this time, the entire Dhalpur ground will become divine amid the echo of drums, Karnal, Narsingha and other traditional instruments.
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The specialty of Kullu Dussehra is that in most parts of the country, the Dussehra festival ends on Vijayadashami, whereas in Kullu, the seven-day event starts from this day. Here Lord Raghunath is considered the center of celebrations and the gods and goddesses of the valley reach Dhalpur to pay his respects. This tradition gives Kullu Dussehra a different identity from other Dussehra festivals of the country.
Invitation given to 347 gods and goddesses
Kullu Dussehra is not just a religious event, but an important part of the divine culture and social life of the valley. This year the Dussehra committee has invited 347 gods and goddesses to participate in the festival. These include the worshipable gods and goddesses of various regions of the valley. The accompanying deities, kardars, priests and artists playing traditional instruments create a different atmosphere in Dhalpur. The palanquins of the deities are decorated in a traditional manner. When gods and goddesses from different regions reach Dhalpur amidst the tunes of musical instruments, this scene becomes a special attraction for devotees and tourists. For the Dev Samaj, this event is also an opportunity to maintain their traditions, increase mutual interaction and pass on the cultural heritage to the next generation.
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Rituals will proceed after the arrival of Mata Hidimba
The role of Mata Hidimba is also important in the traditions of Kullu Dussehra. On the first day of the festival, there is a tradition of sending a stick as an invitation from Lord Raghunath to Mata Hidimba. After this, Mata Hidimba will reach Raghunath temple and participate in religious rituals. The presence of Mata Hidimba is counted among the major traditions of the festival. According to the beliefs of Dev Samaj, various rituals of Kullu Dussehra are performed as per the prescribed traditions. This is the reason why despite modern arrangements and increasing tourism, the traditional form of this festival still attracts people.
This time, along with religious and traditional events, international cultural programs will also be the center of attraction in Kullu Dussehra. Apart from traditional folk dances of Himachal Pradesh and cultural presentations of different states of the country, foreign artists will also showcase their art. Cultural glimpses of different countries will be seen in the event under the Global Dance Programme. Along with this, modern attractions like drones and laser shows will also give a new dimension to the festival. The efforts of the organizers are to give recognition to the traditional Dev culture of Kullu on the international platform and also to introduce the tourists coming from India and abroad to the rich cultural heritage of Himachal.
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Dhalpur decorated like a bride, enthusiasm among businessmen too
Kullu city and the historic Dhalpur grounds have been decorated to welcome the Dussehra festival. Decorations have been done in markets, major routes and event venues. Colorful lights and festive atmosphere have increased the charm of the city. Traders have also completed their preparations for the festival. This event, which will last for seven days, is also expected to give impetus to local business.
Dussehra brings important opportunities every year for people involved in hotels, taxis, street vendors, handicrafts and other businesses. However, this time during the festival, the prescribed arrangements will have to be followed regarding setting up street vendors in Dhalpur. While the devotees and tourists coming to Kullu Dussehra will get to see the divine traditions, they will also get the opportunity to know the local food, handicrafts and Himachali culture closely.
1265 soldiers deployed for security
Keeping in view the possibility of a large number of devotees and tourists arriving for the festival, the police have made elaborate arrangements for security and traffic arrangements. A total of 1265 police and home guard personnel will be deployed during the event. These include 1125 policemen and 140 home guard personnel.
The help of 155 CCTV cameras and drones will be taken to monitor Dhalpur and surrounding areas. The festival area has been divided into six sectors for crowd management and maintaining law and order. 430 police and home guard personnel have been deployed to manage the traffic system. Apart from this, arrangements for investigation and monitoring have also been made at major places.
Will end on October 27th
The international Kullu Dussehra festival will continue till October 27. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is scheduled to attend the closing ceremony. There will be a celebration of faith in God, traditional rituals, folk dances and cultural presentations in Dhalpur for seven days. Overall, the International Kullu Dussehra is once again ready to present the cultural identity of Devbhoomi on the national and international platform. This festival, which starts with the Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath on Wednesday, is a symbol of the tradition of Kullu, in which faith in God is not limited to mere worship, but is an integral part of society, culture and collective life.