Traders elated as Kullu Dasehra sees business worth crores after two years

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, October 9

The Kullu Dasehra festival has been witnessing business worth crores, as traders from different parts of the country have set up their stalls in Dhalpur. The traders have been allotted stalls for the seven-day festival, which started on October 5. The commercial activities were not carried out for the past two years during the Dasehra due to the Covid pandemic.

While the Dasehra festival will conclude on October 11, traders keep on running their stalls till Diwali, or till they are forcefully evacuated by the administration or the Municipal Committee. The temporary stalls set up during the Dasehra festival generally remain on the Dhalpur ground even after one month of the culmination of the event and this causes resentment among local shopkeepers.

People purchase a variety of items at cheaper prices during the festival. Items such as coats, jackets, sweaters, cardigans and other warm clothes are available at discounted prices.

People generally get coats and jackets for around Rs 500, sweaters and cardigans for around Rs 250 and shoes for around Rs 500 from the Dasehra market. In addition to this, quilts and blankets are also available at reasonable prices. People also purchase utensils and other household items which are available at these stalls.

Visitors from outside the district also purchase various goods and commodities from the Dasehra market. A large number of people from Lahaul and Spiti district also come for shopping here during the festival. People make most of the purchases during the Dasehra, which falls after the end of apple season.

The eateries serving local dishes and cuisines of other states also attract a number of visitors. A wide range of delicacies are available during the festival. The sweet shops also do a brisk business as people come to the festival from far-flung villages. A Tibetan cuisine corner is also set up in the cricket ground and stalls serving traditional maize roti with spinach also attract a lot of customers.

The Kullu Dasehra Festival Committee earned around Rs 7.8 crore this year from these stalls and traders visiting the festival. The tambola stall has been auctioned for Rs 1.45 crore.

This amount goes to the District Red Cross Society. A large number of people, including the elderly, youth and girls can be seen playing tambola from 11 am till late evening. Mega prizes such as an Alto car and Scooty are on offer in tambola.

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