International Kullu Dussehra 2026 opens on Wednesday, October 21, at Dhalpur Maidan in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, a day after Dussehra was marked in most of the country. Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta is scheduled to formally inaugurate the seven-day festival, and the chariot procession of Lord Raghunath is due to begin at 4 pm, according to local reports. The festival runs until October 27.
Key points
- The festival runs October 21–27 at Dhalpur Maidan; Governor Kavinder Gupta is scheduled to inaugurate it and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is due to preside over the closing on October 27.
- More than 200 deities had reached Dhalpur by Tuesday evening, Amar Ujala reported, out of 347 invited by the Dussehra committee.
- Police have deployed 1,265 personnel, 155 CCTV cameras and drones, with parking at 18 locations and no-parking rules on several key routes.
Why Kullu starts a day later
Dussehra was celebrated across much of India on October 20, but Kullu follows the Udaya Tithi tradition, under which the day is counted from the tithi prevailing at sunrise. The North News reported that Danvendra Singh, the kardar of Lord Raghunath, explained that Dashami tithi began after noon on October 20 while Dashami at sunrise falls on October 21, which is why Kullu’s celebrations begin a day later.
The organising committee is chaired by Congress MLA Sundar Singh Thakur, who announced the dates in a press release, according to an ANI report carried by Asianet Newsable on October 14. The report said invitations had been sent to 346 local deities; Amar Ujala’s report on Wednesday morning put the figure invited by the Dussehra Festival Committee at 347, with about 300 or more expected to take part. Before the inauguration, the deities are expected to pay respects at the camp of Lord Raghunath. Amar Ujala also reported that Goddess Hidimba travelled from her Dhungri temple in Manali to Kullu on Tuesday and is to join the procession after receiving the traditional invitation.
What visitors should know
According to Amar Ujala, Kullu police have deployed 1,265 personnel, made up of 1,125 police officers and 140 home guards. The festival area has been divided into six sectors for crowd management, with 155 CCTV cameras and drones used for monitoring and 430 police and home guard personnel assigned to traffic duty. Checkposts have been set up at Bajaura Bridge and Hathithan.
Parking has been arranged at 18 locations. The largest, opposite the lower Dhalpur bus stand at Khori Ropa, can hold about 900 vehicles, the report said. Stretches including Gaman Bridge to Dhalpur Chowk, Dhalpur Chowk to College Chowk, and College Chowk to Tikra Bawdi have been declared no-parking zones. Visitors driving into Kullu should follow signboards and police instructions on the ground.
Beyond the religious rituals, the ANI report said the programme includes a Global Dance event mixing local and international performances, with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as cultural partner. A drone show, a laser show, local sports competitions and an anti-drug awareness campaign (nasha mukti abhiyan) are also planned. About 12 countries, including Thailand, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan and the USA, had confirmed participation at that time, while the Chief Minister said 24 countries were expected.
What has not been confirmed
At the time of writing, the reports available describe the inauguration and Rath Yatra as scheduled; a post-event account of the opening ceremony was not yet available. The final number of deities taking part, and the final list of countries sending cultural troupes, may differ from the figures quoted before the festival. The exact daily schedule of cultural evenings and any traffic diversions beyond those listed above should be checked with the Kullu district administration and Kullu police before travelling.
Some figures also differ slightly between sources, such as 346 versus 347 invited deities. This report gives both and attributes each to its source.
Why it matters
Kullu Dussehra is one of Himachal Pradesh’s best-known festivals, a tradition reported to date back to the 17th century, and it brings deities from across the valley to a single ground for a week. For residents, the festival means heavy crowds, road restrictions and a large police presence in and around Dhalpur. For tourists, it is a chance to see a living hill tradition, but also a week when planning ahead for parking and travel time matters.
For more news on public events and travel advisories across the country, browse our India news section.
Sources
- Amar Ujala, October 21, 2026: deities reach Dhalpur; security, parking and Rath Yatra timing (Hindi)
- Asianet Newsable / ANI, October 14, 2026: International Kullu Dussehra to be held October 21-27
- The North News, October 19, 2026: Kullu prepares for Dussehra as Raghunath Rath Yatra set for October 21
Reported October 21, 2026 (India Standard Time), using AI-assisted drafting and source checks. Original AI-assisted editorial illustration by Taaza Khabar, generated October 21, 2026; conceptual scene, not a photograph of the event.
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