Having refused to use a 2809.16m long traffic tunnel for the past few years, on the Chandigarh-Manali highway at Aut, to attend the famed Kullu Dussehra, water levels at Largi Dam are being lowered to enable the adamant deities of Kullu to use a submerged traditional path so that they are able to attend the festival this year.
Disapproval of the Devtas to use the alternate tunnel path has forced the local administration to spring into action. The work is on to lower down the water level in Larji project reservoir. The world famous Kullu Dussehra is all set to begin from October 14th, 2013.
The Kullu Dussehra Committee is expecting about 100 deities to arrive for the festival from Sanj, Banjar, Ani, Nirmand and Mandi district.
Since the construction for Larji hydropower project commenced in the year 2006, the original track that was used by the local deities started plunging in the dam water. Consequently, it was decided by the local administration on the request by the deities that water level of the reservoir should be lowered so as to facilitate the local deities to pass through safely.
However, it must also be noted that local deities have always refused to take up tunnels as passage way during Dussehra festival for various religious reasons.
As per the local sources, due to steady rise in water level over the last few years, the 4 km long stretch between Aut and Larji has submerged considerably. The local administration built-up an alternate route through the tunnel for people and vehicles to commute. However, with local deities refusing to take up the alternately constructed road, local authorities are left with no other option but lower down the water level in reservoir.
Before Dussehra festival approaches each year, Kullu Devi Devta Kardar Sangh requests Kullu administration to bring down water level in the hydropower project so that the traditional path of the deities recurs back.
Despite local political leaders asking for constructing alternate road for the deities as they refuse to use it as passage for Dussehra citing religious reasons, only plain assurances but no concrete work on ground has come up by the successive state governments.