Shimla/Chamba, August 27, 2025 – Heavy rains have thrown the Manimahesh Yatra into chaos, cutting off routes and leaving hundreds stranded between Bharmour and the sacred lake.
Halun Village Hit as Rabi River Swells in Holi
The situation in Holi valley of Chamba turned grim today as rising waters of the Rabi river breached into Halun village, leaving residents in panic and destruction in its wake.
Eyewitnesses reported that swollen waters entered several houses, damaging livestock sheds and standing crops.
“My Holi is in a bad state… our Salun village has entered into the river,” a local resident said, narrating the ordeal.
The continuous heavy rains since the past 48 hours have triggered flash floods and landslides in the region.
Connectivity to the interior belts remains fragile, while officials are still assessing the extent of damage in Halun.
The district administration has sounded an alert in vulnerable villages along the Rabi and Ravi river basins, advising families to move to higher and safer ground.
Rescue teams are on standby, though bad weather and blocked approach roads are slowing response efforts.
With no road access and phone networks down, BJP MLA from Bharmour, Dr. Janak Raj, has pressed the government to immediately send helicopter support to trace and rescue the yatris and locals trapped in the high mountains.
“There is no connectivity to the yatra route,” Dr. Raj said, adding that ground relief is impossible unless air support is rushed.
For families back home, the silence has become unbearable. Manoj Sharma from Hamirpur shared his anguish: “My brother went on the Manimahesh Yatra three days ago. Since then, phones have been dead. We don’t know where they are.”
IMD Alert and Weather Impact
According to the IMD Shimla Centre, monsoon showers will continue till August 31, with a yellow alert in force for several districts including Shimla, Mandi and Sirmaur.
Earlier this week, the state was battered by heavy downpours and landslides, prompting red alerts and widespread warnings.
The toll is already grim. Three pilgrims from Punjab — Aman (18), Rohit (18), and Anmol (26) — lost their lives while attempting the trek. Another pilgrim from Doda was killed earlier this season after being struck by a rockfall near Hadsar.
Yatra Suspended, Routes Blocked
Authorities have suspended the yatra indefinitely. With over 600 roads washed out or blocked across Himachal, including stretches of national highways, movement of both pilgrims and locals has come to a standstill. Schools and colleges in at least eight districts have also been shut. Electricity and drinking water supplies are down in several villages.
Demand for Air Rescue
Dr. Raj’s demand for helicopter sorties has become the only practical option:
1. Spotting and rescuing stranded pilgrims and service providers on the route.
2. Dropping food, water and medical kits to remote halts.
3. Airlifting critical patients and vulnerable yatris.
District officials, NDRF, SDRF, and police teams are on standby, but their movement is crippled by the continuous rain and blocked tracks.
The Uncertainty Ahead
With communications snapped and rainfall still intense, the actual number of stranded pilgrims is not yet known.
Families across Himachal and Punjab, UP and other places are anxiously awaiting word from loved ones.
As the skies refuse to clear, the pressure is mounting on the state government to send helicopters into Bharmour’s mountains and bring back those stuck on the sacred route.
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