Grand week-long celebrations start with over 300 deities gathering at Dhalpur Maidan
TNR News Network
Kullu:
As the international Kullu Dussehra kicks off at the scenic Dhalpur ground in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, a few among the thousands of visitors know that this grand celebration has its roots tied to Ayodhya and a 17th-century royal tale of guilt, penance and divine intervention.
Unlike the rest of India, where Dussehra marks Lord Ram’s triumph over Ravana and the burning of effigies, in Kullu, it marks the beginning of a week-long divine congregation (Dev Mahakumbh), a tradition born out of a dramatic twist in the life of Raja Jagat Singh, the then ruler of Kullu, who brought a sacred idol of Lord Raghunath (Ram) from Ayodhya to atone for a personal tragedy.
Over 300 deities arrive to pay homage to Lord Raghunath
This year, more than 300 local deities from across Himachal’s valleys are expected to take part in the festival, with over 200 already camping in their ornately decorated palanquins at Dhalpur ground. The celebration officially begins with the symbolic arrival of Mata Hadimba, after which the deities offer their respects to Lord Raghunath, the presiding deity of Kullu Dussehra.
Devotees and tourists alike witness processions, rituals, and cultural performances, making this one of the most unique and spiritually significant festivals in India. Crowds gather in huge numbers from across the country and abroad to experience this rare confluence of faith and folklore.
Forgotten tale of the birth of festival
Legend has it that Raja Jagat Singh once wrongfully accused a poor Brahmin in the village of Tipri (in Parvati Valley), which tragically led to the Brahmin’s self-immolation. Stricken by guilt and soon afflicted with an incurable disease, the king sought spiritual guidance. A wandering sage advised him to bring Lord Ram’s idol from Ayodhya’s Treta Nath temple and surrender his kingdom to the deity.
In 1653, the idol of Lord Raghunath, accompanied by images of Sita and Hanuman, was brought to Kullu. After initial installation in the Manikaran temple, it was ceremonially enshrined in the Raghunath Temple of Kullu in 1660. As per legend, once the king offered his throne to Lord Raghunath, he was cured, and the kingdom was declared to be ruled by the deity himself, a tradition still observed symbolically in the valley.
To commemorate his redemption and express eternal devotion, Raja Jagat Singh began the tradition of Kullu Dussehra in the same year, a practice that continues uninterrupted, nearly four centuries later.
