By Vishal Gulati
Kullu, Sep 29 (IANS): Just ahead of the week-long, centuries-old Kullu Dussehra festivity, a grand congregation of over 200 gods and goddesses in this Himachal Pradesh town, the government has issued an advisory - don't seek alms in the names of the visiting deities.

According to tradition, the devotees bring the idol of their deity in a beautifully decorated palanquin amid the sounding of trumpets and drums from the respective temples dotted across the picturesque Kullu Valley to this historical town.

Here, the assembled deities participate in the Dussehra processions led by the chariot of Lord Raghunath, the chief deity, on the first and the last day of the festival.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has issued an advisory that the dignity of the deities should be maintained during the festivity.

"Action should be initiated against those who carry symbols of deities but roam on roads or elsewhere and seek money from passersby. They are unnecessarily defaming the culture and 'devtas' by playing with the faith of the people," the chief minister told the district authorities at a recent meeting.

Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar, the chief organiser of the festival, told IANS that the guidelines have been issued to the 'kardars' (attendants to the deity concerned) in this regard.

"Even an honorarium will not be paid to the erring 'kardars' by the government (for participating in the festival)," he added.

Officials said directions have also been issued this time that the deities should be carried only in palanquins and no vehicle be used for transportation.

Kanwar said invitations have been sent to around 200 gods and goddesses for participating in the festival. The invitation is sent to oracles who speak for the gods.

The Kullu Dussehra will be celebrated Oct 3-9.

It's a festival with a difference as the celebrations begin here the day the festival ends in the rest of the country. The festival dates to 1637, when Raja Jagat Singh was the ruler of Kullu.

He had invited all local deities in Kullu to perform a ritual in honour of Lord Raghunath during Dussehra.

Since then, the annual assembly of deities from hundreds of village temples has become a tradition.

The administration has been inviting the deities ever since the princely states were abolished.

Unlike at other places, effigies of Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhakaran are not burnt here on Dussehra.

For the "safe passage" of some of the deities, the water
level of the state-run Larji hydropower project reservoir near here is being brought down ahead of the festival.

The receded waters would restore the traditional track used to help the gods and goddesses from the interiors of Ani, Banjar and Nirmand divisions to reach Kullu, said an official.

The festival concludes with the Lankadahan ceremony on the banks of the Beas river. All the assembled deities participate in the ceremonies before being carried back to their own temples.

Kanwar said the district administration has planned to organize a folk dance competition participated in by more than 5,000 women in their traditional apparel during the festival.

"This is likely to be included in the Limca Book of Records ," he added.

The Kullu Valley is also popularly known as the "Devbhoomi" - the land of gods.

The conduit between the mortals and the deities are the "gur" - the traditional shamans of Himachal, who form the core of the communities' spiritual sustenance. The "gur" mediates between the people and the gods.