Kullu Dussehra ends without animal sacrifice
Shimla/Kullu: It's where the ancient traditions and religious practices meets once in an year and also get acknowledgement of locals belief and faith. That's what over a century old famous Kullu Dussehra, being held at famous Dhalpur ground of Kullu – a district known for Deity culture brings in reality in Himachal Pradesh.
The week long Kullu Dussehra – which enjoys status of an international festival, ended on Thursday. It also marks the return to Lord Raghunath's chariot back to the temple near Sultanpur ground.
Lord Raghunath is presiding deity of Dussehra, which is brought to the Dhalpur ground on Vijay Dashmi (Dussehra festival), where thousands of people, locals and tourists, greet the idol and workship. Foreign tourists holds special interest in watching the event as religious fervour sometime exceeds the imaginations of those watching it first time.
More than 255 local deities also reached Dhalpur ground as part of the Kullu Dussehra. The deities (in their idol forms) are in palanquins by locals (followers) – who travel on foot for miles to reach Kullu from far off villages and stay at the ground till end of the Dussehra. The deities are treated as living legends, and one those who pass orders to them through their oracles .
Till 2014, there was a tradition/practice of animal sacrifice on the banks of river Beas to finally mark end of the Dussehra celebration as a religious belief, but after Himachal Pradesh High Court banned animal sacrifice, the aged-old practice was stopped.
However in 2017, the Supreme Court passed an interim order to stay the High Court ban order yet specifically telling the organisers of Dussehra not to perform such a religious activity publically, "If any slaughter of animals is done for purposes involved in the petitions, it shall be done in an area set up in accordance with law. The Municipal Authority shall ensure such compliance." the Supreme court said in its order in April 2017.
Today, at end of Dussehra, there was no word
on animal sacrifice though Maheshwar Singh, who is scion of Kullu's erstwhile king and "chief Kardar" of Lord Raghunath said "all traditions and practices were observed".
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who presided over the concluding ceremony announced to increase the nazrana (honorarium) paid to local deities participating in Kullu Dussehra festival by five per cent and distance allowance by 20 per cent.
He also announced 10 per cent increase in remuneration of Bajantaris, who accompany the local deities to the festival besides making provision of Rs 75,000 for Haripur and Manikaran Dussehra and Rs 50,000 for Manikaran Dussehra festival.
