Trenches of discontent: Kullu Dasehra ground excavation sparks concern
A sweeping excavation project underway at the historic Dasehra ground in Dhalpur, Kullu, has triggered growing concern and unrest among local residents, cultural groups and festival organisers. The Kullu Municipal Council is reportedly overseeing the digging to install a musical fountain and upgrade the area’s drainage system. However, the scale of the activity — trenches nearly six feet deep and wide, stretching across most of the rectangular ground — has alarmed the community, both for its intensity and for the opacity surrounding the project.
Efforts to clarify the nature and approval status of the excavation have been met with silence. The MC president has offered no comment, while the ward councillor representing Dhalpur claimed complete ignorance of any such work being initiated. This communication vacuum has further deepened public suspicion and revealed troubling gaps in coordination between local governing bodies.
Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh confirmed that a beautification concept had earlier been floated for the exhibition ground but insisted that her office had received no formal project documents or approvals. “We received an initial proposal, but the excavation began without our knowledge,” she said. “We are currently investigating who authorised the work and will take appropriate action.”
Photos of gaping trenches now dominate social media feeds, as residents voice their dismay over what they see as a violation of a space deeply tied to local identity and heritage. “This ground is not just a plot of land; it’s sacred to us,” said one elderly resident. “It’s a space where history breathes. You cannot just dig it up without asking the people who’ve grown up around it.”
The Dasehra ground is more than a civic space; it is the spiritual and cultural heart of the region. Each autumn, it becomes the epicentre of the internationally celebrated Kullu Dasehra festival, drawing thousands of devotees, tourists and performers. Beyond this marquee event, the ground regularly hosts folk music performances, religious ceremonies and community gatherings — functions that are intimately connected to its open, traditional layout.
Experts now warn that the excavation, if continued without proper surveys, could do more harm than good. They point to the risk of disrupting the area’s natural drainage system and potentially damaging buried historical structures such as boundary stones or ritual altars that lie just beneath the surface. The ground, closed to the public nearly three weeks ago in the name of increasing green cover, has instead been carved into with heavy machinery.
The community’s response has been swift and increasingly coordinated. Cultural associations, environmentalists and citizens concerned are demanding an immediate stop to the excavation, full public disclosure of the project’s scope and budget and open hearings that include historians, geotechnical experts and local elders.
With pressure mounting, the MC finds itself at the centre of a growing storm. What began as a quiet beautification drive may now serve as a turning point for heritage preservation in Himachal Pradesh. As local voices grow louder through petitions, media coverage, and formal complaints, they carry a singular message: development must not come at the cost of tradition.
Himachal Tribune