Hindus all over India grandly celebrate Dusshera a very important festival. Celebrated in October, it holds a lot of relevance. This festival is celebrated in an all-together different style in Kullu. Just when the whole of India finishes celebrating Dusshera, Kullu starts its.

It is a weeklong affair, and all the deity’s (600 approximately) are brought out from the temples in a procession to a big “maidan” in Kullu, so as to pay tribute to the supreme deity “Raghunathji”.

The procession is a pompous and colorful one marked with joyous singing and dancing. Pilgrims all over kullu come to pay homage to the supreme deity. Keeping this factor in mind craftsmen hold out various stalls in the maidan displaying their items of trade i.e. shawls, dresses and the very famous “Pullan” a sandal made out of goat skin and plant fibre.

The procession from the maidan on the last day of the celebration proceeds towards the beas river, with girls displaying the famous “Natti” dances and men giving music through their drums, which resounds in the entire valley. Lord Raghunatji is then bathed in river beas and taken back and placed in his shrine. This marks the end of the festival.

In order to witness this festival one should take special leave as this place celebrates Dusshera after the whole of India celebrates, which means the leaves granted in offices, schools and colleges is not in accordance to the celebration time in Kulu. Nevertheless, there is a benefit of this factor, and that is that you wouldn’t be witnessing much crowd other than the locals, as everybody would be back in their offices or work place.

One can also purchase lot of crafty items for their house, and witness the trade and crafts of Kullu, which will be displayed in the “Maidan” of kullu.

This celebration is a must see, especially if you are celebrating your holidays in Kullu in October.