Kullu Dussehra 2026 runs from Wednesday 21 October to Tuesday 27 October 2026 at Dhalpur Maidan in Kullu. Those are the official dates printed by the Dussehra Festival Committee, Kullu, in its tender documents dated 22 September 2026, and they were announced publicly at the festival’s curtain-raiser at Atal Sadan, Kullu, reported on 25 September. Note the one-day offset: national calendars put Vijayadashami on Tuesday 20 October 2026, but the Kullu festival opens on 21 October. If you are planning a trip around the Rath Yatra, plan it for the 21st.
This year’s programme adds something new: a 500-drone light show on three evenings, a laser show and an international “Global Dance” segment, alongside the usual gathering of village deities, which is the real reason to go. Here are the dates, what has changed, and how to plan the trip as of 29 September 2026.
Kullu Dussehra 2026 at a glance
| Festival dates | 21 to 27 October 2026 (seven days) |
| Opening event | Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath, day one (21 October) |
| Venue | Dhalpur Maidan, Kullu town, Himachal Pradesh |
| Drone shows | Three shows with a minimum of 500 drones each. The committee chairman said they will be on the 2nd, 4th and 6th days, which works out to 22, 24 and 26 October |
| Deities expected | More than 300 local devtas, according to the organising committee |
| Nearest airport | Bhuntar (Kullu–Manali airport), about 10 km south of Kullu town |
| Distance from Manali | About 40 km |
Why the dates are 21–27 October, not 20 October
Kullu’s Dussehra doesn’t follow the usual north Indian pattern. There is no Ravan effigy burnt on the evening of Vijayadashami. The festival starts when the rath of Raghunath ji is pulled across Dhalpur, and it continues for a week after most of the country has finished celebrating. Every year the date is fixed by the Kullu festival committee, and for 2026 the committee has fixed it one day after the national Vijayadashami.
We are pointing this out because a lot of travel content, including an older mention on our own site, assumed the festival would begin on 20 October. The committee’s tender notice for the drone show gives the “Event period: 21 October 2026 to 27 October 2026”. That is the date to plan around. Several travel sites and festival calendars will still show 20 October over the next few weeks, so don’t book a single night on the 20th and expect to see the Rath Yatra.
What is new at Kullu Dussehra this year
These announcements were made at the curtain-raiser meeting chaired by Kullu MLA Sunder Singh Thakur, chairman of the International Kullu Dussehra Festival Organising Committee, and reported by Hill Post on 25 September 2026:
- A 500-drone light show on three evenings. The district administration has put the job out to e-tender. Bids close on 5 October 2026, so the operator is not yet appointed.
- A laser show, also tendered by the district.
- “Global Dance”, a fusion segment combining Indian folk forms with troupes from abroad brought in through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. It runs alongside the long-running International Folk Dance Festival.
- Cultural groups from Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, and from districts across Himachal.
- 30 electric buses running only for the fair, plus special buses to Ani–Nirmand, Manikaran, Lag and the Ujhi valley.
- Exhibition stalls from 19 government departments, and no increase in the base price of fair plots for traders.
The drone and laser shows are new, and the committee says it expects “a large number of tourists” this year. Put those together and the Kullu valley is likely to be busier than in a normal Dussehra week.
How the week unfolds
Day one — the Rath Yatra (21 October)
This is the day to be there if you can only manage one. Village deities are carried down from across the valley in palanquins, accompanied by drums and long brass horns, and they gather around the rath of Raghunath ji. In the afternoon the chariot is pulled across the Dhalpur ground by hand, using thick ropes. The crowd is enormous and there is no seating. Arrive early and stay near the edge rather than the centre.
Days two to six — fair by day, stage by night
The deities stay camped on the maidan through the week, and the fairground fills with stalls selling shawls, woollens, apples, dry fruit and local produce. Evenings belong to the cultural programmes and the International Folk Dance Festival. On current plans the drone shows fall on 22, 24 and 26 October. The operator is still being appointed, so check the evening schedule locally before you build a day around one.
Day seven — the closing ceremonies (27 October)
The festival ends with the rath being taken towards the Beas and the closing rituals, after which the deities return to their villages. It is quieter than day one but worth seeing if you are staying the full week.
What this means for your trip
We handle ground operations in the Kullu valley every October. This is how we would plan the week:
- Don’t try to stay in Kullu town unless you have already booked. Rooms close to Dhalpur go first, and road congestion near the maidan makes it hard to get in and out. A better base is Manali, about 40 km up the valley, or Naggar, Kasol or Bhuntar. Drive in for the day.
- Allow extra time on the highway. The main Chandigarh–Manali road runs through Kullu town. During Dussehra week, anyone driving between Mandi and Manali passes the fair, including people who have nothing to do with it. On 21 October especially, build slack into any transfer that crosses Kullu. Book any flight out of Bhuntar that week with a buffer as well.
- Pack for cold evenings. Himachal’s first snow of the season arrived early this year. Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti had snow from 26–27 September, as we covered in our Himachal snowfall update (28 September 2026). By late October, nights in Kullu and Manali are cold even when the days are bright, and the cultural programmes run outdoors after dark.
- Take advantage of the Diwali gap. Diwali 2026 isn’t until 8 November, so the Kullu week falls in an unusually quiet stretch of the autumn calendar. Our October 2026 travel guide covers this. Kullu is the exception within that window: the valley itself will be busy, but the week after Dussehra should be calm.
- Combine it with Manali, not instead of Manali. A good shape is two nights in Manali, one day at the Rath Yatra, and the rest in the upper valley. Our five-day Manali family itinerary slots Dussehra in cleanly. Couples can add a day at the fair to the Kullu Manali honeymoon package without changing the hotels. Our full range of Himachal tour packages can be dated around 21 October on request.
- Don’t promise anyone a Rohtang day that week. After the late-September snow, high-altitude access depends on the weather from day to day. Check with the Kullu district administration and BRO on the morning itself rather than relying on anything published weeks in advance, this article included.
For travel agents bringing groups
Dussehra week is when a Kullu–Manali group itinerary is most likely to go wrong. The problems are almost always practical: coaches caught in town traffic, hotels in Kullu overbooked, and guests expecting a Ravan effigy on 20 October. If you are sending a group this October, we handle ground operations for agents as a Himachal DMC. That covers vehicles, hotel blocks outside the congestion zone, and day-one timing at Dhalpur. Call or WhatsApp our operations desk on 70874 88961.
Kullu Dussehra 2026: frequently asked questions
When is Kullu Dussehra 2026?
From 21 October to 27 October 2026. These are the dates fixed by the Dussehra Festival Committee, Kullu, and printed in its official tender documents dated 22 September 2026.
Why does Kullu Dussehra start after Vijayadashami?
Kullu keeps its own tradition, which dates back to the 17th century. The festival is built around the Rath Yatra of Raghunath ji and the gathering of the valley’s deities, and its dates are set locally each year. In 2026 national calendars list Vijayadashami on 20 October, while the Kullu festival opens on 21 October.
When is the drone show at Kullu Dussehra 2026?
Three 500-drone shows are planned. According to the organising committee chairman, they will be held on the second, fourth and sixth days: 22, 24 and 26 October. The district’s tender for the show closes on 5 October 2026. Treat these dates as planned until the operator is appointed and the evening schedule is published.
Which is the best day to attend?
Day one, 21 October, when the Rath Yatra is pulled across Dhalpur and the deities arrive. If you can only give the festival one day, give it that one.
Where should I stay for Kullu Dussehra?
Manali, Naggar, Kasol or Bhuntar, then drive in. Rooms in Kullu town fill early and traffic near the maidan is heavy all week.
Is late October a good time for a Manali trip?
Yes. The skies are clear, the monsoon landslide season is over, the days are pleasant and the nights are cold. Snow in Manali town that early is possible but not reliable. For the month-by-month trade-off, see Manali in October vs November.
Sources
- District Administration Kullu — E-Tender Notice: 500-Drone Light Show, International Kullu Dussehra Festival 2026 (dated 22 September 2026), which states the event period as 21–27 October 2026
- Hill Post — “Kullu Dussehra 2026 To Be A Grand Fair” (25 September 2026)
- District Administration Kullu — Consolidated Master Tender Schedule, Kullu Dussehra 2026 (19 September 2026)
Last checked 29 September 2026. Festival programmes can change. For the final day-by-day schedule, check with the Dussehra Festival Committee and the District Administration, Kullu. If you want Dussehra week planned for you, call Suzu Travels on 70874 88961.
