KULLU DUSHEHRA

• Kullu Dushehra mirrors Himachal culture in its entirely. 

• It is an international fair.

• Dushehra in Kullu starts on the Vijay Dasmi day and continues for seven days. 

• Although Dushehra is celebrated all over the country, but in Kullu, starts it has its own distinctive glamour. 

• The famous idol of Raghunathji' which is carried from its fixed place in "Dhaulpur Maidan" to another spot across the maidan' was brought from Ayodhya In July 1651 A.D. by one Damodar Dass and installed in Kullu by Raja Jagat Singh 

• The pulling of ropes is regarded sacred by the local people.

• On this pious occasion, people bring local gods to Kullu and take out a large procession to pay homage and respect to Raghunathji. 

• The festival starts only with the arrival of 'Hidimba Devi' from Manali, who is received by the Kullu Raja, outside the town and brought to the Raghunathji temple. 

• This festival can't start unless powerful goddess Hidimba, known as the patron deity of Kullu Raja, arrives from Manali. 

• The festival continues for a week. 

• Kullu's location on famous trade route has added new dimensions to the fair. 

• The festival concludes with the burning of Lanka

• The chariot of Raghunathji is taken near the bank of river Beas on the last day of festival, where a pile of wood and grass is set on fire, which symbolizes the burning of Lanka and is followed by the sacrifice of chosen animals. 

• A buffalo, cock, fish, goat and crab are sacrificed. 

• The chariot of Raghunathji is brought back to its original place, its temple in Sultanpur. 

• As many as 16 "devtas" out of the 31 from the Anni and Nirmand areas of outer Seraj, who used to participate in the Kullu Dushehra festival earlier, have stopped participating in the festivities due to "paucity of funds", says a survey on "devis and devtas" of Kullu published by the Himachal Pradesh Academy of Art and Culture, 2011. 

• Undeterred by anti-animal sacrifice activists, the organiser of Kullu Dushehra continued the practice of animal sacrifice. 

• The five animals which are sacrificed-buffalo, a fish, a crab, a cock, a lamb and two symbolic sacrifices. 

• Sunni and Dharamshala Dushehra were given the status of district level fair on 23 September 2014, by the state cabinet.

Baijnath town never Celebrates Dushehra: 

• Baijnath town in Kangra district, 60 km from Dharamshala, people do not burn the effigy of Ravna, symbol of evil. 

• Even the markets remain closed both in Baijnath and Paprola. 

• A strong belief that celebrating the festival will bring the wrath of Lord Shiva on them keeps residents of the town away from burning the effigies of Ravna his brother Kumbhakaran and son Meghnath as per the tradition on Dushehra. 

• Ravna was a great devotee of Lord Shiva, According to a version, some people in the town tried to celebrate Dushehra about a decade ago (last decade of 20th century) by burning the effigy of Ravna.  

• However, all of them died before next Dushehra. 

• People took it as the wrath of Lord Shiva and nobody dared to celebrate the festival again. 

• The belief of people that keeps them away from the festival is also associated with the famous Shiva temple located in the town. 

• As per the legend, it is believed that during the Treta yug, Ravna to have invincible powers worshipped Lord Shiva in the Kailash mountains. 

• He even offered his 10 heads in the hawan kund. 

• Impressed by his extraordinary deed, Lord Shiva not only restored his heads, but also bestowed him with powers of invincibility and immortality. 

• Ravna also requested Lord Shiva to accompany him to Lanka. 

• Shiva consented to his request and converted himself into a ling. 

• Shiva asked him to carry the ling and told him that he should not place the ling down on the ground on his way. 

• Ravna started moving in the southern direction and reached Baijnath where he felt the need to answer nature's call. 

• On seeing a shepherd. Ravna handed him the ling and went to relieve himself. On finding the ling very heavy, the shepherd kept the ling on the ground and the ling got stuck there. 

• Another interesting thing about Baijnath is that there is no shop of goldsmiths. However nobody knows the reason for it. 

• The Baijnath temple is believed to be constructed in 1204 AD by two merchants Ahuka and Manyuka 

• Two inscription on the porch of the temple indicate that it existed even before the present one was constructed. 

• The structure is now under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India.

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MCQs

1. Consider the following statements regarding Kullu Dussehra

1. It is an international fair.
2. It continues for 2 weeks 

Which of statement given above is/ are correct:

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

2. Raghunath ji idol was brought from Ayodhya by which of the following : 

A. Gyan Chand 

B. Bhingmani Pal

C. Damodar Das

D.Batlu 

3. Arrival of which of the following diety is a must to start kullu Dussehra ? 

A. Kamru Nag

B. Hidimba

C. Manu

D. Shayma kali 

4. The idol of Raghunath ji was brought from Ayodhya in July 1651 during the reign of which of the following: 

A. Raja Bhingmani Pal 

B. Raja Bahadur Singh

C. Raja Maan Singh 

D. Raja Jagat Singh 

5. The residents of which of the following town does not celebrate dussehra ? 

A. Naggar 

B. Sunni

C. Bhuntar

D. Baijnath 

Answers:

 

1 - A

2 - C

3 - B

4 - D

5 - D