Faith unshaken: Manimahesh Yatra concludes amidst challenges

Despite heavy rains and landslides causing devastation across Chamba district, blocking roads and stranding devotees, faith proved stronger than adversity. On the sacred occasion of Radhashtami, thousands of pilgrims gathered at the historic Chaugan in Chamba town and performed the concluding rituals of the Manimahesh Yatra 2025.

The scene was deeply emotional as chants of “Har Har Mahadev” echoed across the ground and tears welled in the eyes of devotees who had come with the hope of reaching the sacred Manimahesh Lake but could not complete the journey. Traditionally, the yatra ends with the last royal bath at the glacial lake beneath the Manimahesh Kailash peak, a ceremony scheduled to begin on Saturday and conclude on Sunday.

However, this year, the calamity that struck the Bharmour region made it impossible for the processions carrying the holy mace of Lord Shiva from Jammu, Doda and local villages to reach the lake. For the first time in history, the concluding ritual, locally called “Dal Thodna”, had to be observed not at the waters of Manimahesh, but in Chamba itself.

At Chaugan, devotees circumambulated the sacred staffs placed ceremonially in the centre of the ground, offering prayers and performing worship in the same manner as they would at the lake. Many were overcome with emotion at the thought of the centuries-old tradition being interrupted, but they said that devotion itself had transformed the ground into Manimahesh.

“Faith is not bound by geography, and wherever prayers are offered with devotion, there too Lord Shiva manifests,” said Rajesh, a devotee from Doda.

Sanchui priests to perform rituals

• The age-old tradition of Sanchui village was kept alive as the priests of the village set out towards the sacred lake to perform the concluding ritual. Despite blocked paths and dangerous conditions, the oracles began their journey to fulfil the centuries-old custom that has been observed without fail on Radhashtami.
• According to the belief, the Manimahesh Yatra attains its true spiritual completion only after the ritual is performed at the lake. Villagers said that even in the face of disaster the ritual cannot be abandoned, for it carries both religious and cultural importance and is considered a prayer for the auspiciousness of the pilgrimage in the coming year.