कुल्लू

KULLU DUSSEHRA

Dussehra at Kullu commences on the tenth day of the rising moon, i.e. on 'Vijay Dashmi' day itself and continues in seven days. 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.

This starts every year with the ‘Rath yatra’ from the Dev sadan point on very first day and brought up to camp temple of Raghunath Ji.On the last day hundreds of deities get together to the southern end of the Dhalpur Maidan called “Lanka Baker” where seven animals are sacrificed in respect of Goddess Kali. This yatra lateron is rolled back to the northern end of the maidan from where it started on the first day of the Kullu Dussehra.

The festival celebrates the triumph of the God Ram over evil. The Rath Yatra of the idol of Lord Ragunath is led by the Kullu Raja and village deities, and is known as the running of the Gods. The procession starts a week of religious ceremonies, cultural activities, socializing and shopping at the huge bazaar, or market, that comprises most of the mela ground.

The idols of Lord Rama, Sita and Hanuman are taken back in a decorated palanquin to their sanctum at Raghunathpur here, accompanied by about a hundred local devi-devtas. All gods and goddesses will now start their journey back to their respective villages.

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