# Kullu Dussehra: when the valley's gods come to town

> Kullu Dussehra is a week-long festival in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu valley that begins on Vijayadashami, the day Dussehra ends in the rest of India. Hundreds of village deities are carried in palanquins to Dhalpur Maidan in Kullu town to attend on Raghunath (Rama), whose chariot is pulled through the crowd on the first day; the festival closes with Lanka Dahan by the Beas river. In 2026 it is expected to begin around 20 October; confirm dates with the Kullu district administration.

Source: https://pujoparikramaguide.in/navratri/kullu-dussehra/ (updated 2026-10-06)

**Kullu Dussehra** turns the usual calendar around. When the rest of north India burns Ravana's effigy on Vijayadashami and goes home, the Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh is just beginning: for a week, the gods and goddesses of hundreds of mountain villages are carried down to **Dhalpur Maidan** in Kullu town to pay homage to **Raghunath**, the valley's form of Rama. It has been recognised as an international festival since the 1970s and draws very large crowds every year.

## Kullu Dussehra 2026 dates

The festival starts on **Vijayadashami** and lasts **about seven days**. Most 2026 calendars place Vijayadashami on **Tuesday 20 October**, which would put the festival at roughly **20 to 26 October**. Kullu fixes its own dates, and some travel listings show other dates, so confirm with the Kullu district administration or Himachal Pradesh tourism before you travel.

## How it began

The story is usually told like this: in the 17th century, Raja Jagat Singh of Kullu, seeking to atone for a wrong, had an idol of Raghunath brought from Ayodhya, installed it as the valley's ruling deity, and declared himself its servant. Dussehra became the great annual festival of Raghunath, and the local deities of the valley, each with its own village, temple and attendants, came to attend on him. The royal family's descendants still play their part in the rituals.

## What happens

**The first day: the rath yatra.** Raghunath's idol is brought to Dhalpur Maidan and placed on a wooden chariot. Thousands of people take hold of thick ropes and pull the chariot across the ground, with the village deities in attendance, drums and long horns (*narsingha* and *karnal*) sounding, and the crowd shouting with joy.

**The gathering of the deities.** Each village deity travels in a decorated palanquin (*palki* or *rath*) carried on the shoulders of its villagers, with its own musicians and flags. Through the week the deities sit in camps around the ground, receive visitors, and "visit" one another. Many people come simply to see so many local gods in one place.

**The fair.** Dhalpur becomes a huge market of shawls, woollens, local produce and food, with folk dance performances in the evenings, including the Himachali *naati* circle dance, and cultural troupes from other states and countries.

**The last day: Lanka Dahan.** The festival ends on the banks of the Beas river, where a pile representing Lanka is burned in a symbolic ritual. Raghunath returns to his temple, and the village deities begin the long walk home.

## Practical tips

- The nearest airport is **Bhuntar**, about 10 km from Kullu; most visitors come by road from Chandigarh or Delhi.
- Book rooms in Kullu or nearby Manali well ahead for the first day.
- Be at Dhalpur early on the first day to see the chariot pulled; the crowd is thickest in the afternoon.
- Ask before photographing a deity's palanquin up close, and follow the attendants' lead.

## Kullu and the rest of the season

Kullu Dussehra is one of the many ways India ends the nine nights: compare it with [Mysuru Dasara](/navratri/mysuru-dasara/), north India's [Ramlila and Ravan dahan](/navratri/dussehra-vijayadashami/), and Bengal's [Bijoya Dashami](/durga-puja/rituals/dashami/), and see the whole map in [Navratri across India](/navratri/across-india/).

## Frequently asked questions

**When is Kullu Dussehra 2026?**
Kullu Dussehra starts on Vijayadashami and runs for about seven days. Most 2026 calendars place Vijayadashami on Tuesday 20 October, which would put the festival at roughly 20 to 26 October. The district administration announces the official dates; check them before travelling.

**Why does Kullu Dussehra start when Dussehra ends?**
Kullu's festival grew around the worship of Raghunath (Rama), whose idol was brought to the valley in the 17th century. Rather than marking Ravana's defeat on a single day, Kullu begins a week of homage to Raghunath on Vijayadashami, when the valley's deities gather to attend on him.

**Are Ravana effigies burned at Kullu Dussehra?**
No. Unlike the rest of north India, there is no burning of giant effigies. On the last day, the Lanka Dahan ritual by the Beas river symbolically burns Lanka instead.

**Where is Kullu Dussehra held?**
At Dhalpur Maidan, the large open ground in the middle of Kullu town in Himachal Pradesh. The nearest airport is Bhuntar, about 10 km away.