Celebrations to be low key as Kullu Dasehra festivities begin today

As the International Kullu Dasehra Festival begins tomorrow, chairman of the festival committee and Kullu MLA, Sunder Singh Thakur, has made an announcement about making contribution to the disaster relief fund. Thakur said that by curtailing expenses, the committee has saved several crores of rupees. This amount will be donated to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund with a special request to earmark it exclusively for disaster relief and mitigation efforts in Kullu town.

Speaking at a press conference here today, Thakur shared that 80 per cent of the stalls and four domes have already been auctioned, generating more revenue than the previous year.

The MLA said that this year’s festival carries the theme “Aapda se Utsav ki Aur,” meaning “From Disaster to Celebration.” The festival will feature performances exclusively by artists from Himachal Pradesh. Many of these artists have chosen to perform without remuneration. Nati King Thakur Dass Rathi has shown solidarity with the victims of the rain disaster and will perform without charging anything. Others have agreed to accept only 20 per cent of their fee.

Beginning on October 2 with performances by Kuldeep Sharma and Shehar Band, the cultural programme will span several nights. Ajay Chauhan will take the stage the following evening, followed by Arvind Rajput, Diljit and Lemon Band on the third night. October 5 will feature Kumar Sahil and Gopal Sharma, while Ramesh Thakur and Firdaus Band will perform on the fifth night. Local folk singer Inderjeet, Neha Bhardwaj and Rudra Band will perform on the sixth night and Thakur Dass Rathi will return as the star performer for the grand finale on October 8.

On the penultimate day, the traditional Laldi folk dance will be performed in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during the ‘Mohalla’ night. The festival will conclude with the vibrant Kullu Carnival, featuring a tableaux parade by Mahila Mandals and college students. Additionally, 25 government departments will stage exhibitions at the Kala Kendra Ground, alongside 25 Self Help Groups supported by the National Rural Livelihood Mission.

Thakur praised the committee for designing an elegant invitation card and commended the Kullu Municipal Council for clearing waste from the Sarwari entrance to the town. He also noted that several programmes have been scaled down this year, including the International Cultural Parade, participation of foreign and out-of-state cultural troupes and the second stage at the Exhibition Ground.

The festivities will officially commence on October 2 with Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla attending the historic Rath Yatra and inaugurating a cultural symposium at the Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra. The closing ceremony on October 8 will be graced by Chief Minister Sukhu, culminating in divine processions that celebrate the harmony between mortals and gods.