Kullu Dussehra: Enthusiasm, religious feverous at peak

SHIMLA: With large official hoardings all over Kullu and Dhalpur Maidan—the iconic ground currently nucleus of all religious fervours and ancient rituals, pouncing a punch-line –Iss Bar Kucch Naya hai ( There is something new this time ), Kullu Dussehra is admittedly different, at least the way it looks.

More than 300 deities – local Gods and Goddesses, arriving for participation in the Dussehra despite the valley facing unprecedented devastations due to torrential rains,landslides and floods, makes it amply clear that the people’s faith in centuries old practices is unflinching.

Kullu Dussehra is much different in many ways .It begins on ‘Vijaydashmi’ --when else in the country people celebrate the event as ‘victory of good over evil’ .Here in Kullu, Dussehra is cultural extravaganza with a fine blend of religious traditions and rituals which starts with the rolling –out of rath-yatra of Lord Raghunath –other name of Lord Rama.

The idol of Lord Raghunath, the presiding deity of Kullu Dussehra, is brought to the Rath ground in specially decorated palanquin and thereafter mounted at the wooden chariot amidst loud enchantments of scriptures and dances.

“It is mesmerising moment to watch and capture in the eyes as massive crowd of lakhs of people gather to get the glimpse of the rituals and thereafter pull the ropes of rath of Lord Rghunath” says Dev Kanya Thakur , a Tv anchor and young author of a book on Kullu.

Signing of devotional songs and folk dances by men and women who come in traditional attires wearing jewellery and ‘Dathu’ (head-gear), the whole environment gets filled-up with joy and cheers.

Himachal Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and Justice Sanjay Karol, judge at Supreme Court of India—who hails from Himachal Pradesh,beside Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sunder Singh Thakur –who is also chairman of the Kullu Dussehra management committee, walked up to to the Lord Raghunath’s rath ,paid their obeisance and pulled the ropes to mark beginning of the rath yatra.

The deities mounted on especially decorated palanquins followed the rath yatra adding colours to the event.