The famed Kullu Dussehra

The famed week-long Kullu Dussehra is one of main festivals of Himachal Pradesh, which has maintained its unique identity over the years and is celebrated in an entirely different way. The annual mela or festival takes place in the Kullu. The festival celebrates the victory of the God Ram over evil. The Rath Yatra of the idol of Lord Ragunath is led by the Kullu Raja. The procession starts a week of religious ceremonies, cultural activities, socializing and shopping at the huge bazaar of mela ground. Dussehra at Kullu commences on the tenth day of the rising moon, i.e. on 'Vijay Dashmi' day itself and continues in seven days.
The history of Kullu Dussehra dates back to the 17th century when the local king, Jagat Singh installed an idol of Raghunathji. According to “The History of Kullu Riyasat”. The Dussehra celebrations started in the year 1661 in Kullu during the reign of the then ruler Raja Jagat Singh. Some security person gave false information to Jagat Singh that Durga Dutt, a poor Brahmin from Tibri village, in Manikaran valley across Parvati river, had a Patha of pearls with him. The Raja immediately sent his messengers and demanded the pearls but they did not get anything as the Brahmin never possessed any valuables. Later, after a few days Jagat Singh sent a message to Durga Dutt that he should keep the pearls ready on a particular day, which he would collect on his way back form Manikaran to his capital. When the Raja came to Tibri village to collect the pearls, the Brahmin instead of arranging for pearls or making some excuse confined all his family members inside his house and set it afire. Then Durga Dutt started cutting pieces of flesh from his body with a dagger and kept throwing them into the burning house while chanting the word lo Maharaj, patha-moti. Ultimately the Brahmin killed himself in front of Jagat Singh. The Raja was deeply moved by the incident. He was unable to eat and drink and was tainted by leprosy. One Baba Krishan Dass `Fuhari' of Jhiri near Naggar told Jagat Singh if he would bring the idol of Lord Raghunath from Ayodhya, embrace Vaishanavism and invest his kingdom in the name of Raghunathji, only then he would be liberated from the sin of Braham-hatya (the offence of killing a Brahmin). Later, Damodar Dass, a disciple of Fuhari Baba, brought the idol of Lord Raghunath from Ayodhya to Kullu in the year 1651. Initially, the idol was placed at Manikaran, Vashishat Haripur, Jagatsukh and Grahan villages for safety reasons. Jagat Singh invested his entire kingdom in the name of Lord Raghunath. In the year 1660, the idol of Lord Raghunath, the presiding deity of Dussehra, was installed near the royal palace. The ailing Raja got himself freed from the sin of Braham hatya soon after he took the charnamrit (water used to wash the feet of idol). He appointed Fuhari Baba as Raj Guru and donated property to Damodar Dass for his role in bringing the idol from Ayodhya. Historians believe that earlier the king and the local people were the followers of Shiva and Shakti but after the idol of Lord Raghunath was brought to Kullu, they became Vaishnavs as Raghunath is another name of Lord Ram Chandra, the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. Dussehra celebrations start with the `Rathyatra' of Lord Raghunath as the idol is kept in the wooden chariot. Lord Raghunath is still the family deity of the erstwhile ruling dynasty of Kullu. Symbolic Dussehra is celebrated at Haripur, Manikaran, Thawa (Naggar) and Vashishat villages on Rathyatra day.
This festival is different in the sense that this commences when Dussehra festivities come to a close in the rest of the country. Another unique feature of the Kullu Dussehra is that it does not finish with the burning of the statue of king-Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarana and son, Meghnath.

The Himachal Pradesh is known as the Valley of Gods' as on the occasion of the Dussehra here about 20 Gods and Goddesses of the valley meet at the venue for the celebrations. The divine presences gives a feeling of heaven on the earth. Dussehra at Kullu commences on the tenth day of the rising moon, on 'Vijay Dashmi' itself and continues for seven days. On the first day, the idol of Lord Raghunath saddled on a decorated chariot is pulled by ropes from its fixed place, that is a temple and taken to Dhalpur Grounds to mark the commencement of the Dussehra cerelbrations. During the week-long celebrations, gods and goddesses are invoked and paraded around this town every morning and evening. On the closing day, the Rath of lord Raghunath is taken to the banks of the Beas river and in the diety's presence a pile of wood and grass is set on fire, to symbolize the burning of Ravanas Lanka. Thereafter lord Raghunath is taken back to his temple and Dussehra festivities come to an end.