CM’s announcement adds twist to Dasehra fest
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service
Shimla, September 19
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has played “Laldi dance” revival card, giving a trans-Himalayan character to the international Kullu Dasehra to cut down on the clout of Kullu legislator and Lord Raghunath chief representative Maheshwar Singh after his ‘ghar wapsi’ to the BJP.
The Chief Minister made the announcement regarding “Laldi dance” here today while presiding over the state-level meeting of the week-long Kullu Dasehra beginning from October 11.
Interestingly, the meeting was attended by Ayurveda Minister Karan Singh, who is also Maheshwar’s brother, and Anni legislator Khuub Ram while both Maheshwar Singh and Govind Thakur, BJP MLA from Manali, gave the important meet a miss, giving a twist to Kullu Dasehra festivities after Maheshwar severed ties with Virbhadra Singh’s party and merged his Himachal Lokhit Party with the BJP.
With support from Karan Singh, Kullu Congress and one faction of the Kullu Dev Samaj of kardars, the Chief Minister formulated the Raghunath Temple trust last month. Peeved, Maheshwar Singh moved the high court against the Chief Minister’s decision.
Virbhadra Singh said Dasehra would not only feature divine cavalcade of 200 deities of the Kullu valley, but also witness the ‘trans-Himalayan culture festival’ in which foreign and Indian troupes from the hill regions of the country, including Leh-Ladakh, Arunachal and Manipur, will entertain the enthusiasts from across the region.
The relations between the two former royals touched a nadir as Chief Minister during a recent trip to Banjar advised Maheshwar Singh to abandon the feudal “palki yatra” around the Dhalpur Dasehra ground. The Chief Minister then transferred Kullu Deputy Commissioner H R Chauhan and appointed Yunus Khan in his place. Chauhan had failed to take steps regarding the takeover of the Raghunath temple in possession of Maheshwar Singh.
The Chief Minister said the traditional ‘Laldi’ folk dance would be revived. The locals perform traditional ‘natti’ the whole night under strict security. A committee would also be re-constituted to organize ‘Grameen Khel Utsav’ (rural Sports) comprising local teams, in which rural games such as kabbadi, volleyball and tug-of-war will be held, he added.
The Chief Minister said that Kullu Dasehra was a platform to showcase the rich culture of Himachal Pradesh and all local deities should be invited. He directed the Kullu Dasehra committee to adhere to protocol in respect of the local ‘Devtas’, who accompany the chariot of Lord Raghunath.
Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, Yunus Khan said that Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) had agreed to provide cultural troupes from Bhutan, Sri-Lanka, Russia and Japan and efforts were on to tie up with North Zone Cultural Centre, (NZCC) to provide best folk artistes from different states.
Sources told The Tribune that Maheshwar Singh and Manali MLA had been invited for the meeting, but they did not turn up. The meeting was attended, among others, by Chief Secretary VC Pharka, DGP Sanjay Kumar, General Secretary HPCC Sunder Thakur and DCC Kullu president Budhi Singh Thakur.
