Art and Culture · 22 Oct 2026

Kullu Dussehra

With reference to the International Kullu Dussehra, consider the following statements:

  1. It begins on Vijayadashami, the day on which Dussehra ends in most parts of India.
  2. Its presiding deity is Lord Raghunath, whose idol was installed in Kullu around 1660 CE during the rule of Raja Jagat Singh.
  3. The Wajib-ul-Arz, which lists the valley's deities, is a ritual text composed by the royal priests of Kullu.
  4. The festival was accorded International status by UNESCO in 1972.
AOnly one
BOnly two
COnly three
DAll four
This question is based on: When the State Holds the Guest List: Kullu's Gods and the Afterlife of Deity-Kingship
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About this question

Why in news

A record 347 deities were invited to the International Kullu Dussehra (20-27 October 2026). The Himachal Pradesh High Court rejected a household deity's plea for an official invitation and state facilities.

Why for UPSC

UPSC frames culture questions around origin, presiding deity and the institution behind a festival. The UNESCO trap is a classic distractor where a state government decision is confused with an international body's.

Prelims summary

Kullu Dussehra starts on Vijayadashami at Dhalpur ground with Lord Raghunath as presiding deity. The idol was installed around 1660 CE under Raja Jagat Singh. The Wajib-ul-Arz is a revenue record listing 284 deities and International status came from the HP government in 1972.

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