Kulasai Dasara(Dussehra) is a cult rural festival celebrated during the famous Dussehra festival time in the 300 years’ old Sri Mutharamman Temple or Kulasai Mutharamman Temple located in the small town Kulasekharapatnam, near Thiruchendur in Thoothukudi District of Tamil Nadu. The festival continues for ten days with the start of Navaratri and finishes on the tenth day, ie on Dussehra in the celebration of killing the demon called Magisasuran.
The mythological epic tells the story of the town dwellers who once approached their Goddess being helpless to the torture of the cruel mighty demon Magisasuran. Then a baby child took birth with the power of the Goddess and was named Lalithambigai. The baby grew up into a full grown adult by a supernatural power just within 9 days, which are considered the days of Navaratri. On the 10th day, she got herself converted into the almighty symbol of power as Annai Parasakthi Lalithambigai with the razing desire of eliminating evil from the earth. And thus she came strongly on Magisasuran and destroyed him as the symbol of the sin of evils on this day which in turn is being started to be celebrated as Dasara(Dussehra) here. This was the insight of the Kulasai Dussehra festival, though the same festival in the name of Dussehra is celebrated all over India in different places in different ways.
THE PREPARATION KULASAI DASARA 2023
ITINERARY
Day 1 : 29 Sep : Report to our pre-booked hotel in Tiruchendur by the afternoon.
Day 2 : 30 Sep : In the morning, we will go to the villages near the Sri Mutharamman temple where the performers can be photographed while getting prepared and then performing. After that we will be visiting many villages around to shoot different activities. Later we will come to the main temple to cover the performers in front of the main deity.
Day 3 : 01 Oct : In the morning, again we will go to different villages where the performers can be photographed while getting prepared and then performing infant of the village temples. After that we will be visiting many villages around to shoot different activities. Later we will come to the main temple to cover the performers in front of the main deity. Finally around 5pm, we will reach the sea beach where performers will be seen to enact some very eye catching and photogenic activities. By evening we will head back to our hotel.
Day 4 : 02 Oct : We will start late in the morning today to cover the rituals by the performers in different villages before heading towards the temple. This day is the most important of all of our Kulasai Dasara photo tour where we can grab the most valuable shots of the event. On this day you are advised to carry only your camera and most important items like memory cards, extra batteries, water bottle etc. There will be huge rush inside the temple, so we will try to avoid entering the temple today. Instead, after having lunch, we will head towards the sea beach after covering some very interesting happenings on the road and in the nearby villages. We need to keep your energy intact as the day will be very sultry with temperatures reaching nearly 45 degree Celcius. With a gathering of nearly 10-15 lakhs people and no proper restaurant nearby, you have to take care of your own foods and drinks to keep yourself energised and hydrated with whatever and wherever possible. This is the time when we will be shooting the most interesting photos of the entire tour. We will discuss over this opportunity in a group webinar before the tour. In the night, when all the participants reach the vehicle(will be parked at a distance), we will start for Tiruchendur.
Day 5 : 03 Oct : After having breakfast together, we will discuss to recap the entire tour over a cup of delicious very special local hot filter coffee. Our Kulasai Dasara photo tour ends here on a high note.
Nearest Airport : Tuticorin(40 Km from Tiruchendur), Madurai(300 Km)
Nearest Railway Station : Tiruchendur via Madurai/Chennai
TOUR COST AND TERMS:
The workshop fee is Rs. US$990 for the entire trip, per person(Single Occupancy).
Advance: $500 While Booking(Excluding Transaction Charges)
Final Pay: $450 By 03 Aug 2025
(For online transfer, sender must take care of any charges levied during transaction)
Fee Includes:
- Hotel stay in Tiruchendur (29 Sep-03 Oct 2025).
- Local transport from Tiruchendur Hotel to Temple to cover the entire festival and back by comfortable vehicle.
- All Meals(Only Vegeterian as No Nonveg Meals are Allowed During this Period in the Place) during Workshop: Starting with evening tea on 29 Sep to end up with breakfast on 03 Oct.
- Mineral water throughout the tour.
- Quality & professional photography assistance
Excludes:
- All meals apart from the above mentioned.
- Anything any individual orders personally.
- Expenses for personal habits.
- Medical Expenses
- Insurances
- Anything that is not included in the “Includes” list.
FAQ & TOUR INFO
What do I get from this photo-tour?
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- A thoroughly guided photographic experience by experts in the field who know the place very well.
- Guidance and information of locations and events before each day’s shoot.
- Guiding all participants about lens requirement, creative composition and camera settings on the field during photo shoot.
- Everyday review of participants’ photographs(subjected to time).
- Assisting in possible editing guidance(subjected to time).
- Guiding participants in finding photographic locations and vantage points for places and events.
Am I eligible for this tour?
Anyone above 18 years (unless accompanied by a parent or guardian) is welcome to join this photo tour. Below 18 years needs to be accompanied by parents or parents’ consent letter.
I am new to photography. Will I join this trip?
Yes of course. This tour is for all photography enthusiastic people. The more you travel and explore, the more your photographic eye will open. Moreover, our team leaders will ensure to give special attention to the beginners.
I am not a serious photographer, just a traveler. Shall I join this trip?
Yes, you too can join this tour as our tours are designed for both serious photographers and casual travelers for the purpose of both learning and entertainment. But you need to pay the amount of the full fee as the seats are limited and you could take place of a full paid serious photographer.
What equipments are required for this Trip?
Well, even the point and shoot camera will work fine. If you have a DSLR camera, any zoom lens and a wide-angle lens will work best. You may also bring a portrait lens like 50mm or 85mm prime(classic 70-200mm f/2.8 can be the best for the purpose). A laptop with post-processing software, an extension charging board, an external hard drive, and extra memory cards will be helpful. For the review session, you must carry a pen drive along with.
What is the difference between ASP workshop Photo Tours and other tours?
We are not offering a package tour for general tourists; it is specifically meant for photography enthusiastic people and designed by experienced professional photographers. You will discover the place and learn a lot about this ancient city, local people and their culture which is an important part of our travel photography. We will try to observe the local people, their daily activities and cultural beliefs and will try to capture those moments using the right compositions and techniques. Our Team Leaders will help our guests to learn camera settings, framing and as well as post-processing. If that’s what your requirement is exactly, then surely join us for this exciting photo tour with ASP. Remember, this is not just only a phototour, it is a phototour wrapped with photography workshop.
THE PORTRAITS KULASAI DASARA 2023
CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY
If you cancel your registration, then you will be charged according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the Workshop:
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- 90 days or more: 25%
- 60 days or more: 50%
- 30 days or more: 75%
- Less than 30 days : Non –refundable
(PLEASE KEEP A SCREENSHOT OF THE REFUND POLICY TO AVOID ANY UNWANTED DISCREPANCIES IF A NEED OF CANCELLATION ARISES)
OUR LIABILITIES & LIMITATIONS:
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- All itineraries are sample itineraries, intended to give you a general idea of the likely trip schedule. Numerous factors such as weather, road conditions, the physical ability of the participants etc. may dictate itinerary changes either before the tour or while on the trail. We reserve the right to change any schedule in the interest of the trip participants’ safety, comfort & general well being.
- ASP shall not be responsible for any delays & alterations in the programme or expenses incurred – directly or indirectly – due to natural hazards, flight cancellations, accidents, breakdown of transport, weather, sickness, road blockages, political closures or any troublesome incidents.
- ASP shall not be responsible for any loss, injury or damage to person, property, or otherwise in connection with any accommodation, transportation or other services, resulting – directly or indirectly – from any act of GOD, dangers, fire, accident, breakdown in machinery or equipment, breakdown of transport, wars, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, pilferages, epidemics, medical or custom department regulations, defaults, or any other causes beyond our control.
