7-day Kullu Dasehra Festival to begin today, deities start arriving

The palanquins of deities have started arriving for the seven-day Kullu Dasehra Festival scheduled to commence tomorrow. This year, the Kullu Dasehra Festival Committee has sent invitations to 332 deities. Most of the deities are brought on foot by traversing tough terrain while a few arrive on jeeps. The Festival Committee pays a ‘nazrana’ (honorarium) to the participating deities and ‘bajantaris’ (traditional bands that accompany the local deities).

The places of the camp temples of the deities are fixed on the Dasehra ground. This year, the committee has set up pagoda-shape waterproof tents at the camp temples of 25 deities, as a pilot project. Adequate arrangements have been made for the stay of the villagers accompanying the deities. Last year, a record number of 317 deities had attended the festival. Thirteen tents of the deities and five temporary stalls containing goods were gutted by a fire in the Rath ground during the festival. This year, fire engines will be deputed round the clock at the Dasehra ground.

Meanwhile, the ‘Dhur’ dispute between deities Shringa Rishi and Balu Naag for standing on the “right side” of the Raghunath Ji's Rath during the Dasehra Rath Yatra has been going on for the past 26 years and the villagers and "Karkoons" (volunteers) of both deities have been fighting to claim the earmarked position. Many a time, violent scenes were witnessed during the Rath Yatra, as the followers of both deities clashed, forcing the authorities concerned to prohibit their participation in the yatra. The palanquins of both deities are placed under house arrest at their camp temples during the Rath Yatra since 2008, as the matter is pending in the Supreme Court for many years.

Traders from different parts of the country have set up temporary stalls in various markets of the Trade Fair. This time, four domes have been set up. The Kullu Dasehra Festival Committee earns a revenue of around Rs 8 crore from the auction of plots and rent from plots, domes and tambola, which will be allowed till November 8.

This year, a handicraft fair ‘SARAS’ will also be held at the Rath ground October 22 onwards. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sunder Singh Thakur, who is also the Kullu Dasehra Festival Committee chairman, said that this time, a stage would be set up at the Rath ground and cultural programmes would be held there from 2 pm to 6 pm every day. Troupes from foreign countries would also perform during the festival, he added.

Thakur said, “Sports competitions will also be organised at the Rath ground from morning till 2 pm. Cultural programmes will be held for seven days at the historic Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra after 6 pm.” He added that adequate arrangements had been made for sanitation, traffic management and law and order.