Kullu Dussehra Festival
According to the Hindi calendar, the Dussehra of Kullu (Kullu Dussehra) in Himachal Pradesh begins on the tenth day of the month of Ashwin. When people in the country have celebrated Dussehra, the Dussehra of Kullu (Kullu Dussehra) begins. In Himachal Pradesh in India, Kullu Dussehra is not a one-day event but a seven-day festival. Here this celebration is called Dashami. Kullu’s Dussehra retains a different identity across the country.
Another aspect of this Dussehra is when the statues of Ravana, Meghnad, and Kumbhakarna are burnt everywhere. Five animals are sacrificed in Kullu to symbolize the destruction of lust, rage, attachment, greed, and ego.
The Kullu Dussehra celebration of Kullu retains considerable importance in tradition, customs, and historical points of view. Dussehra of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh is celebrated in a different and unique fashion. Here this event is called Dashami, and it begins on the tenth day of the month of Ashwin. The color of this event starts increasing even more in the valley of Kullu from the day when Vijayadashami concludes all around India.
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The color of this event starts increasing even more in the valley of Kullu from the day when Vijayadashami concludes all around India.
Invitation of Yagya:
In the first 15 days of the month of Ashwin in the Dussehra of Kullu (Kullu Dussehra), the king invites all the deities to perform a Yagya in honor of Raghunathji in the Dhalpur valley. More than 100 deities are seated in colorfully painted palanquins. On the first day of this festival (Kullu Dussehra), the Goddess of Dussehra, Hidimba of Manali, arrives in Kullu. All the members of the royal family come to seek the graces of the Goddess.
Rath Yatra & Procession:
Rath Yatra is organized. The idols of Raghunathji and Sita, and Hidimbaji are kept in the chariot. The chariot is moved from one site to another, where this chariot rests for six days. During this, the beauty of little processions is made on sight.
Organizing Mohalla Utsav:
On the 6th day of the festival, all the deities come together and meet, called ‘Mohalla.’ At this stage of Raghunathji, people dance and sing throughout the night. On the 7th day, the chariot is taken to the banks of the Beas river, where Lanka Dahan is held.
Utsav (Kullu Dussehra Festival) is spreading a unique shade:
After this, the chariot is taken back to its place, and Raghunathji is restored in the temple of Raghunathpur. In this way, the Dussehra of the world-famous Kullu (Kullu Dussehra) is completed with gaiety. In Kullu city, the festival of Dussehra (Kullu Dussehra) begins with the adoration of the deity Raghunathji. The magnificence of the event of Dashami is unique.
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Kullu Dussehra’s holiday is celebrated with joy in India and outside India in various places of the world. In India, the celebration of Vijayadashami is celebrated in every corner of the country. There are several such areas in India where Dussehra is celebrated. Along with Kullu, the Dussehra (Kullu Dussehra) of Mysore is extremely famous. This event (Kullu Dussehra) is celebrated with tremendous pomp in South India as well as in North India, Bengal, etc.
History of Kullu Dussehra:
Dussehra of Kullu is not directly related to Ramayana. Instead, it is stated that its story is related to a king. In 1636, when Jagatsingh was the king, during Manikarna’s visit, he came to know that a Brahmin in a village had very precious gems.
The king sent his men to that Brahmin to grab the jewel. The troops tortured him. Out of fear, he cursed the king and committed suicide together with his family. After a few days, the king’s health started deteriorating.
Then a monk advised the king to get the idol of Raghunathji placed to get rid of the curse. Due to this idol brought from Ayodhya, the king gradually started recovering, and since then, he dedicated his life and his kingdom to Lord Raghunathji. Since then, Kullu Dussehra started being celebrated here with full pomp.
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