'Laldi' to be revived during 'Kullu Dussehra festival'

Traditional 'Laldi' folk dance will be revived during the 'International Kullu Dussehra festival' which would commence on October 11, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said today.
Presiding over Kullu Dussehra committee meeting, Virbhadra Singh said, the week-long festival would commence on October 11 and annual congregation of over 200 local deities of the Kullu Valley, who converge at Dhalpur Maidan to pay obeisanceto Raghunathji, presiding deity of the valley, would be witnessed during the festival.
The festival would also witness the 'Trans Himalayan Culture Festival' for which efforts were afoot to invite cultural troupes from the hill regions of the country, including Leh-Ladakh, Arunachal, Manipur etc.

A committee would also be re-constituted to organise 'Grameen Khel Utsav' (Rural Sports) comprising of local teams, in which rural games as Kabbadi, Volleyball, Tug-of-war, will be held.
The Chief Minister said the 'Kullu Dussehra' is known for its local demigods and ancient age old traditions that govern the lives of the ethnic communities inhabiting the lower Himalayan belts and celebrated since times immemorial.
He said the festival was a platform to showcase the rich culture of Himachal Pradesh and all local deities should be invited.
Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, Yunus said that as of now Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) had agreed for providing cultural troupes from Bhutan, Sri-Lanka, Russia and Japan and efforts were on to tie up with North Zone Cultural Centre, (NZCC) to provide best folk artists from different states.