Other States - New Delhi   

Dussehra celebrated with traditional gaiety

A Durga idol being immersed in the Yamuna in Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: R.V. Moorthy.

SHIMLA OCT. 15. The week-long International Dussehra Festival got off to a spectacular start with the traditional rath yatra of presiding deity Lord Raghunathji from Sultanpur Temple to Dhalpur maidan at Kullu even as Dussehra was celebrated with usual gaiety and fervour in other parts of the State with the burning of effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath. The festival marking the triumph of "good over evil'' also coincided with the immersion of idols of Goddess Durga on the conclusion of Durga Puja in various parts of the State.

The Navratra festival at famous temples of Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi, Brajeshwari Devi, Chamunda and Karibari also passed off peacefully, without any untoward incident.

Lakhs of devotees visited the Devi temples across the State during the Navratra and tight security arrangements had been made in view of possible disturbance from miscreants. The government was extra careful about the security at the religious places after the Akshardham Temple attack in Gujarat.

Thousands of people joined the traditional rath yatra of Lord Raghunath at Kullu marking the beginning of the weeklong Kullu Dussehra Festival. About 150 local deities that arrived at the venue of the festival to pay obeisance to the presiding deity also joined in the procession.

Devotees vied with each other to pull the ropes of the flower-decked chariot of Lord Raghunath as this was considered very suspicious.

Kullu Dussehra is different from the festivities celebrated in other parts of the country. Apart from the fact that it starts on the day Dussehra Festival concludes in other parts of the country, no effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath are burnt.

However, Lanka Dahan (burning of Lanka) is performed on the fifth day of the festival and five animals are sacrificed to the lord of peace and prosperity. Goddess Hadimba was brought from Manali a day before the festival starts and she remains there till the festival is over with the return of Lord Raghunathji to Sultanpur Temple.

The festival has been made more attractive by organising grand cultural evenings and performances by folk dancers and other artists, including the troupes from countries like Russia and Uzbekistan. -- PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Power situation shows signs of improvement
• Dussehra celebrated with traditional gaiety
• Delhi gets second set of Metro train
• A `Panipat' won for the Lodhi's
• Move to enforce power grid discipline

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu