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Tales of Kulu Dasehra
KULU: Come October and all roads lead to Kulu. Desehra is drawing near, tourists, foreign and other parts of the country, are converging on Kulu, the valley of gods and goddesses. The most colourful spectacle of the festival is an assembly of more than 200 gods and goddesses from the interiors of this district, who are brought here on the invitation of the Dasehra Committee, to pay their obeisance to Lord Rama, the chief deity of the district.

Irrigation scheme inaugurated
SHIMLA, Oct 3 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, today inaugurated a Rs 2 crore Flow Irrigation Scheme in the tribal area of Kaza. The scheme will help irrigate 269 hectare of the tribal area. The farmers of the area would be able to grow medicinal plants and cash crops such as green peas, potatoes and go a long way in improving their economic condition besides enhancement of vegetation in the area.

SHO hurt in saving accused from mob fury
MANDI, Oct 3 — Station House Officer Sarkaghat and four others, including a head constable, were injured when an angry mob attempted to lynch an accused in Rakesh murder case.

BJP’s anti-people face exposed: Cong
SHIMLA, Oct 3 — The Congress has accused the ruling BJP of having exposed its “anti-people” face by increasing the prices of kerosene, cooking gas, diesel and petrol. In a joint statement here yesterday, Mrs Asha Kumari and Mr Yogendra Chandra, both MLAs and Mr Vineet Gautam, Secretary of the PCC, criticised the BJP government at the Centre and in the state for increasing the prices of essential commodities.

Cong to hold demonstration
NURPUR, Oct 3 — Activists of the state unit of the Congress will hold demonstration against the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products.

Tales of Kulu Dasehra
From Subhash Sharma

KULU: Come October and all roads lead to Kulu. Desehra is drawing near, tourists, foreign and other parts of the country, are converging on Kulu, the valley of gods and goddesses.

The most colourful spectacle of the festival is an assembly of more than 200 gods and goddesses from the interiors of this district, who are brought here on the invitation of the Dasehra Committee, to pay their obeisance to Lord Rama, the chief deity of the district.

The legend has it that an idol of Lord Rama was brought here from Ayodhya by the then ruler Raja Jagat Singh in 1651. The state was dedicated to Lord Rama and the king ruled on his behalf.

Mr Maheshwar Singh, MP, and a descendant of Raja Jagat Singh, told this correspondent about his family’s relationship with Goddess Hidimba who is at the head of procession of a palanquins carrying deities on the first day of Dasehra in Kulu. He said his ancestors ruled Mayapuri, near Hardwar. There was a severe drought and four princes left Mayapuri. One of them Vihangmanipal reached Kulu. He started as a help of a potter at Tambli village near Kulu. Once the potter took Vihangmanipal along to Jagatsukh village near Manali to sell his pots in a village fair.

The legend has it that the prince was requested by Goddess Hidimba, who appeared to him as an old woman, to help her cross a rivulet. The prince carried her on his back. Later Goddess Hidimba asked him to sit in her flying basket. The goddess then declared him a king and asked him to rule the area within his visibility limit.

The rulers not only brought an idol of Lord Rama from Ayodhya but also its mode of his worship. The descendants of the royal family worship Goddess Hidimba, on the eve of Dasehra festival. The palanquin of the deity is brought here from Dhungri near Manali. The king, in order to greet the deity, used to send a holy mace (called Chhari) to the border of Kulu state. He would get blessings from the deity when a palanquin was brought inside the palace at Raghunathpur here.

On the first day of Dasehra, almost all the palanquins of gods and goddesses are received by the descendants of Raja Jagat Singh at the palace. When the palanquin carrying Goddess Hidimba reaches the palace all the family members hide themselves. The arms and ammunition are worshipped. Then the priest on behalf of the Goddess Hidimba calls out the family members. Then they take her blessings with these rituals commence Dasehra celebrations.

The goddess is brought to the Raghunath temple. On the first day of the Kulu Dasehra, a Rath Yatra is taken out. The concluding day known as ‘Lanka’, is also dedicated to Goddess Hidimba. Animals are sacrificed to mark the conclusion of the festival.

Irrigation scheme inaugurated
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 3 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, today inaugurated a Rs 2 crore Flow Irrigation Scheme in the tribal area of Kaza. The scheme will help irrigate 269 hectare of the tribal area.

The farmers of the area would be able to grow medicinal plants and cash crops such as green peas, potatoes and go a long way in improving their economic condition besides enhancement of vegetation in the area.

Mr Dhumal also dedicated eight sets of accommodation, constructed at a cost of Rs 30 lakh, at Kaza for teachers.

He said Rs 21.03 crore was being spent in Spiti on the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) during the current financial year.

The Chief Minister said Rs 1 crore had been spent on the accommodation under the Gurukul Awas Yojna in which 54 residential sets were being constructed at eight different places. Out of these, eight had been completed and 26 were at advanced stages. He said construction of these sets would facilitate teachers in the farflung areas.

He said five more flow irrigation schemes have been executed in the Spiti area at a cost of Rs 98.92 lakh which would irrigate an area of 211 hectare. Besides, five water supply schemes at a cost of Rs 1.08 crore were being executed in the area during the current financial year.

Mr Dhumal said 70 handpumps had been installed in the Spiti area at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore during the last two years. All villages in this area would be connected with road by next year, he added.

SHO hurt in saving accused from mob fury
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Oct 3 — Station House Officer Sarkaghat and four others, including a head constable, were injured when an angry mob attempted to lynch an accused in Rakesh murder case.

Briefing mediapersons here this evening the police chief, Mr O. C. Thakur, said the mob had virtually overpowered Suresh Kumar one of the accused and would have lynched him had the SHO and his team not managed to take him into custody.

The SHO fired a few rounds in the air, he said. Suresh Kumar has been admitted to the Civil Hospital Sarkaghat for treatment of his injuries.

Mr Thakur said a Panchayat Pradhan Vijai Lakshmi has been arrested under Section 307 of the IPC for attempt to murder. Search to arrest six persons named in the FIR was on.

Mr Rakesh Kumar, an HVC youth wing leader of the Sukh Ram faction, was stabbed to death on September 4 last month near his native village Chaleli when he was coming home after closing his PCO at night. The police had arrested two persons — Manoj Kumar and Suresh Kumar under Sections 302 of the IPC for the alleged murder of youth leader.

BJP’s anti-people face exposed: Cong
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 3 — The Congress has accused the ruling BJP of having exposed its “anti-people” face by increasing the prices of kerosene, cooking gas, diesel and petrol.

In a joint statement here yesterday, Mrs Asha Kumari and Mr Yogendra Chandra, both MLAs and Mr Vineet Gautam, Secretary of the PCC, criticised the BJP government at the Centre and in the state for increasing the prices of essential commodities.

The bus fares would again increase due to the hike in the prices of petroleum products, they said.

They alleged that the state government had created problems for the people by imposing fee in hospitals.

Cong to hold demonstration
From Our Correspondent

NURPUR, Oct 3 — Activists of the state unit of the Congress will hold demonstration against the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products.

Mr Sat Mahajan, state Congress chief, in a statement here today said the Congress would hold demonstrations at the district and block headquarters on October 10 and 15. He said the party would mobilise the masses against the price hike. He said the hike would hit the common man and the Centre should withdraw it forthwith.