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The International Kullu Dussehra Festival commenced with the traditional Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath at the historic Rath Maidan in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday.
The festival will continue for 7 days till October 30 at the historic Dhalpur town. In the religious city of Sultanpur, around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, a grand procession of dozens of gods and goddesses, including Lord Bijli Mahadev, Mata Tripura Sundari, Goddess Jamdagni and Goddess Lakshmi Narayan, started with Lord Raghunath seated in his palanquin. Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, who flagged off the procession, said, "The International Kullu Dussehra festival has been held over centuries. However, the Dussehra festival is being started this year in a bid to rid the state of the miseries inflicted on the people in the wake of the rain-related incidents. It's heartening to see how people, many of whom are still coming to terms with the tragic events that came before, are taking to this event. There was huge enthusiasm and craze leading up to this event." He noted that people from all over the country and beyond arrived in the state to take part in the inaugural Dussehra event. "A large number of people arrived in Kullu for the Rath Yatra," the Governor added. A sea of people gathered in the city to see the procession of Lord Raghunath and the devotees. Chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', the devotees reached the historical chariot ground where Lord Raghunath was seated in his chariot while a seer performed rituals. After performing an aarti, parikrama of Lord Raghunath and other rituals, the Rath Yatra was flagged off. Thousands of people pulled the chariot. Governor Shukla stated further that the International Dussehra of Kallu will encourage tourism in Himachal Pradesh, adding that while Dussehra may have ended elsewhere in the country, it has only just begun in Kullu. "That's why people from far and wide have reached Kullu to be a part of this Dussehra festival," the Governor said, adding that he prayed to Lord Raghunath for the return of happiness and prosperity to "Devbhoomi Himachal'. "I am privileged to be a part of the international Dussehra festival. I pray to the Almighty to rid Himachal and its people of the menace of drugs," he added. Congress state president Pratibha Singh, president of the Dussehra Utsav Committee, Sundar Singh Thakur, DGP Sanjay Kundu, and the chief secretary were present on the occasion. (ANI)
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