Over 100 Gaddi shepherds await rescue in Bara Bhangal

Over 100 Gaddi shepherds are stranded in the higher reaches of Bara Bhangal valley, which stretches across Kangra, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts. The collapse of bridges over local rivulets and rivers, coupled with the washing away of a key mule path in last week’s flash floods, has cut off access to the region. The shepherds, along with nearly 3,000 head of cattle, now face acute shortages of food, medicines and essential supplies.

Braham Dass, a local shepherd, reached Baijnath after trekking nearly 70 km on foot over three days with two companions. He told reporters that the stranded shepherds in Panihartu, Plachhak and Thamsar Pass were battling food scarcity in the absence of supply routes. “Bridges have collapsed due to flash floods and heavy rains. To make matters worse, the region has now received snowfall,” he said, urging the state government to arrange a helicopter rescue and deploy mountaineers from Manali to locate those trapped.

Baijnath MLA Kishori Lal confirmed the gravity of the situation. He said while the state government was monitoring the crisis, supplies sent on horseback had been halted at Plachhak after the mule track was completely washed away. He warned that without immediate intervention, the shepherds risked heavy cattle losses due to unseasonal snowfall and hunger in the high pastures.

Efforts are underway to repair damaged bridges and paths, while alternate measures are being explored to deliver food supplies.

The Gaddi shepherds, a traditional nomadic community, follow a centuries-old seasonal migration — descending to Una, Bilaspur, Kangra, Solan, Hamirpur and Sirmaur in winters and climbing to the high-altitude pastures of the Dhauladhar, Bara and Chhota Bhangal, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and Chamba in summers.

Bara Bhangal, one of Himachal Pradesh’s remotest villages, lies near the source of the Ravi river. Self-reliant yet isolated, villagers rear sheep and goats as their primary livelihood, cultivate vegetables and grains and grow around 500 apple trees. With no transport access, the apple harvest is consumed locally or fed to cattle. The village has only a middle school, underscoring the challenges of life in one of the state’s most inaccessible mountain outposts.