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Of India’s many festivals, one of the most spectacular is the Dussehra at Kullu. A week of gaiety commemorates the triumph of good over evil. In October, when Dussehra celebrations end in the rest of the country, they begin in Kullu. The festival commemorates the victory of Lord Ram over the demon king Ravana and has come to symbolise the triumph of good over evil in Indian tradition. An elaborate fair is a part of the festival. There are folk songs and dances, stalls full of culinary delights, villagers in their festive best and the finest fruit of the valley on display and sale. This is a celebration of tradition and an opportunity to share the life of the Kullu’s people.

The joyful associations that the festival holds today are tempered by a sanguinary story. Centuries ago, when Raja Jagat Singh was the ruler of Kullu, he once went on a pilgrimage to nearby Manikaran. On the way he was told of Durgadutt, a brahmin who lived in the village of Tipri. Durgadutt was said to own considerable quantity of exquisite pearls. Thinking that they would make an excellent offering at Manikaran, Jagat Singh told his retainers to go and buy some of them.

When the men went to him, the brahmin said that he had none and they must be misinformed. Angry at what they felt to be a violation of their authority the men began hitting him. Realising that there was no other way to stop them, Durgadutt said that he would turn over the pearls on Jagat Singh’s return.

A week passed and the king of Kullu returned. He marched with his officers to the brahmin’s house to collect the pearls. As Durgadutt saw them, he locked himself and his family and set the house on fire. Carrying a sharp knife, he climbed on the roof of his house and began slicing off pieces of his body. As the blood-soaked pieces of flesh fell before a horrified Jagat Singh, Durgadutt screamed, “You wanted pearls didn’t you? These are all the pearls I have, take them and go.” The agonised cries were lost in the flames and Durgadutt and his family were burnt to death.

Images of the horror he had caused began haunting Jagat Singh. Months passed and he could not eat, sleep or drink. Jagat Singh then went to a holy man in the village of Jhiri who was said to work miracles.

The holy man said that he knew of no miracle except prayer and that was all that he could prescribe. He told the king of an image of Lord Raghunath (another name for Lord Ram, the Hindu deity, the name by which he is known in the valley) in Ayodhya that he should bring to Kullu and worship. When the image finally arrived and was ceremoniously installed, Jagat Singh began worshipping it. Henceforth, the raja decreed that it would be Lord Raghunath who would rule the valley and the mortal kings would only act as regents. His contrition and prayers helped the king to slowly return to a normal life and even today, Lord Raghunath is the main deity of the Kullu valley.

The celebrations begin proper when the image of the goddess Hadimba Devi arrives from neighbouring Manali. On Kullu’s open Dhalpur Maidan, Lord Raghunath's chariot is wheeled out of the temple. Some two hundred deities from all over the area also gather to pay tribute to Lord Raghunath and the first day is marked by homage given to him. The following nine days are full of rituals, dancing, singing and performances.

The festival is full of interesting sidelines. The enigmatic deity of the village of Malana, Jamlu, comes in his image for the festival but does not join in the celebrations. Jamlu’s image and his worshippers only watch the proceeding from the opposite bank of the river Beas. Another deity is carried in by his worshippers who run without pause through the Dhalpur Maidan - and leave in equal haste!

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