The seven-day Kullu Valley Dussehra festival is unique. It begins when Dussehra celebrations end in other parts of the country. Unlike the rest of the country, no effigy of Ravana and his brother and son are burnt.
More traditionally, over two hundred deities converge on Kullu for its unusual Dussehra Celebrations. They pay homage to Lord Raghunathji while Music and colour fill the "Silver Valley". Dussehra at Kullu commences on the tenth day of the rising moon, i.e. on 'Vijay Dashmi' day itself and continues in seven days.
On the first day the idol of Lord Raghunathji saddle on a gaily attired chariot and attended by village gods mounted in colorful planquins, is pulled from its fixed place in Dhalpur Maidan to another spot across the Maidan by Big ropes. The pulling of ropes is regarded sacred by the local people. This forms a huge procession. All the gods of the valley has to visit Kullu on Dussehra in order to pay homage to Raghunathji.
On the following days in the mornings and in the evenings the gods are invoked and paraded. The people remain busy buying, selling, singing and dancing during all the seven days of the festival, which concluded with the burning of the Lanka.
The chariot of Raghunathji is taken near the banks of Beas on the last day of the festival where a pile of wood grass is set on fire, which symbolizes the burning of Lanka and is followed by the sacrifice of chosen animals.
The birth of Dussehra in Kullu lay in royal fads and it nourished on religious, social and economic factors and ultimately came to be well established, because of the inborn love of the hill-men for fun, frolic, displayed in community singing and dancing. Numerous stalls offer a verity of local wares. This is also the time when the International Folk Festival is celebrated.
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| KULLU DUSSEHRA FESTIVAL TOUR |
| Places covered: |
Delhi - Dharamsala - Dalhousi - Chamba - Palampur - Tarahgarh - Mandi - Kullu - Naggar - Manali - Nalahgarh - Chandigarh |
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| Tour Character: |
Cultural visits, sightseeing, temples, long drives, Heritage, |
| Duration: |
15-20 Days |
| Best Time: |
September-October |
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