In my school days, the Raja of Kulu’s son,
the ’’Tikka’’, was my classmate and I used to hear
lovely stories of Kulu and its Dusshehra and the lovely Himachal lasses, streams, rivers, mountains, birds animals trees, flowers, fruits( apples, cherries, pears, plums, apricots) and the snow.
The first time I got an opportunity to visit was in October, 1978.
The road journey started from Mussoorie via Dehradoon, over the Yamuna, Paonta Sahib, Nahan, Chandigarh, Bhakra Nangal, Bilaspur, Govind Sagar(man made lake on the river Sutlej), Sunder Nagar, Mandi and then Kulu.
At places the persons in the bus closed their eyes and prayed to ’’God’’. If one looked down the Sutlej appeared to be a blue winding hair.There was an inch between the tyre and the fall.
The sights of course were good.
Kulu was reached in the evening. It had a magical touch to the place.
The next day we saw the Dusshehra processions.the most remarkable was the various palanquins bearing various gods and goddesses, brought by the simple Himachali people from far off villages in the mountains and valleys of Kulu.
Kulu was a kingdom in the past.
There is a story about the lord Raghunathji and the kings of the Kulu kingdom.
The main deity is Raghunathji on dusshehra.
His image is taken out in the procession accompanied by the present king of Kulu, Shri Maheshwar Singh ( Member of Parliament).
There is the auspicious sound of the drums and trumpets.
The occasion is both religious and cultural.
The place is visited by tourists and devotees from Himachal, India and other countries.
The state government organises some cultural programmes where one can see the local dances.
The characteristic Himachali cap is visible all around and one can buy it too as a souvenir.
The natural beauty of Kulu is also worth enjoying.
One can also take the Archana airways flight from Delhi to Kulu(Bhuntar Airstrip).