The International Kullu Dasehra is set to offer a vibrant confluence of global cultures, folk traditions and artistic performances, with artistes from India and abroad expected to add an international flavour to the week-long festivities from October 21 to 27.
Organising committee chairman and local MLA Sunder Singh Thakur said concerted efforts were being made to make this year’s festival more attractive, grand and well-organised. Governor Kavinder Gupta will inaugurate the festivities, while Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu will attend the closing ceremony as chief guest.
Thakur said the renovation of Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra had been completed on schedule, providing artists with an improved stage and audiences with a better cultural experience.
Following discussions with representatives of the International Cultural Council in Delhi, artistes from around 15 to 20 countries are expected to participate. However, the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine may affect international participation. Cultural troupes from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt and Uzbekistan, which have featured in previous editions, may be unable to attend this year.
Artistes from cultural centres across various Indian states will also perform. A special collaborative dance featuring foreign artists performing to Kullu folk tunes is being planned to convey a message of cultural unity and diversity. Local performers, too, will have ample opportunities to showcase their talent.
The festival’s distinctive deity tradition will remain at its heart, with invitations extended to 347 deities. Special arrangements will be made for the comfort and traditional hospitality of the accompanying devlus, gurs and priests.
To ensure a safe and welcoming atmosphere, additional CCTV cameras will be installed and adequate police personnel deployed. Decorative lighting will illuminate key stretches, including the areas from Bhootnath bridge to Shastri Nagar, Gandhi Nagar and Baba Balak Nath temple.
Cleanliness, traffic management and public convenience will also receive priority. Thakur said festival income had increased from around Rs 6.5 crore in 2023 to nearly Rs 10 crore, helping strengthen arrangements.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Dr Amit Kumar Sharma has issued traffic restrictions effective from October 17 to November 8. The road via Kala Kendra will remain closed to vehicles except official and VIP convoys.
Alternative routes and a temporary bus stand near College Gate have been arranged. Eighteen parking sites will accommodate around 2,000 vehicles, while designated stretches will face no-parking and towing restrictions. Loading and unloading will be permitted between midnight and 7 am.
Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita will remain in force from October 21 to 27, with restrictions on carrying firearms except by authorised duty personnel.
Elected representatives and landlords have also been directed to inform the police promptly about new arrivals, particularly foreign nationals, migrant workers and other specified categories.
