An unusually prolonged spell of snowfall and heavy rain in April has disrupted the seasonal migration of shepherds in Himachal Pradesh. High-altitude areas of Kangra, Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti districts have received heavy snowfall, stranding several Gaddi shepherds in Palampur, Chamunda, Jia, Baijnath and surrounding areas of Kangra district.
These shepherds were en route to their summer pastures in Bara Bhangal and Chamba district when the adverse weather forced them to halt. Forest officials have warned them to delay their upward journey due to the persistent bad weather and a fresh spell of snowfall expected next week in the Dhauladhar range.
The Thamsar Pass, standing at an altitude of 18,000 feet and serving as the gateway to Bara Bhangal, has seen 3 to 4 feet of fresh snow in the past week. Traditionally, the pass opens for pedestrian movement in early May, but this year it may remain closed until June.
Only yesterday, tragedy struck when lightning hit a shepherd camp near Baijnath, killing 150 sheep. This incident has left the shepherd community shaken, with many expressing fear and concern for their safety and livestock. They reported being stranded for over 10 days at locations like Jia Kandwari, Utrala, Deol, Panjala and Sansal, waiting for the weather to improve.
The Gaddi shepherds, a traditional nomadic community, follow a seasonal migration pattern. In winters, they move across Una, Bilaspur, Kangra, Solan, Hamirpur and Sirmaur districts in search of grazing grounds. Come summer, they head to the high-altitude pastures of the Dhauladhar hills, Chhota and Bara Bhangal, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Chamba with their flocks.
CAPTION: This year’s unusual weather has disrupted their age-old migration cycle, putting both shepherds and their animals at risk.
