{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Steep slopes and flash flood fears put the 2026 Shrikhand Mahadev pilgrimage in serious doubt",
  "summary": "The fate of the 2026 Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu has been thrown into question. An expert team has flagged the stretch from Bhimdwari to Parvati Bagh as extremely risky and recommended declaring it a high risk zone.",
  "content": "The Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra, which every year draws large crowds of devotees to a Shivling perched at 19,000 feet in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, may not take place this season. After an expert team inspected the route and found it dangerously unstable under current conditions, the administration is now treading carefully on whether to allow the pilgrimage at all.\n\nAn important meeting of the Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra Trust was held on Wednesday, chaired by Trust president and Kullu DC Anurag Chandra Sharma. Himachal Pradesh Milkfed chairman and Trust founding member Buddhi Singh Thakur, along with several government and non-government members of the Trust, joined virtually. The central focus was the proposed 2026 pilgrimage and the expert report prepared on the safety of its route.\n\nRoute inspected twice\nAnurag Chandra Sharma said a joint team had been set up to assess the route, made up of experts from the Revenue and Forest departments along with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mountaineering and Allied Sports Institute (ABVMAS) in Manali. The team carried out a detailed inspection on 8 June and 18 June and submitted its report. At the meeting, ski instructor Ankush Kumar and trekking guide Gopal Singh presented the findings and highlighted several key concerns.\n\nBhimdwari to Parvati Bagh the biggest danger\nAccording to the report, the stretch from Bhimdwari to Parvati Bagh is currently the most sensitive and hazardous part of the journey. The team found steep slopes, loose and unstable soil, narrow and slippery paths, and several streams that have to be crossed along the way. With the monsoon season about to begin, the risk grows sharper. The experts warned of landslides, falling rocks, sudden surges in water levels, flash floods and debris flow.\n\nThe institute's experts have been associated with the pilgrimage for many years and have a deep understanding of the geography and glaciers around Parvati Bagh. Drawing on that experience and the latest inspection, they stated clearly that under present conditions the Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra 2026 cannot be considered safe and cannot be recommended.\n\nAlternative route also unsafe\nThe team noted that not just the existing path between Bhimdwari and Parvati Bagh, but also the proposed alternative route, is unsafe in the current situation. A major worry flagged in the report is that in the event of any accident or disaster, carrying out relief and rescue work in this terrain would be extremely difficult.\n\nThe experts also branded the camping area at Bhimdwari a high risk zone, warning of a constant threat of flash floods. The report adds that the land in the affected area is made up of loose stones and unstable soil, which makes building temporary bridges, rope routes or any other temporary structures neither safe nor practical. The team has recommended declaring this entire stretch a high risk zone.\n\nFinal decision still pending\nThe DC said the district administration and the Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra Trust are fully committed to the safety of devotees, and that given the present situation and the report, holding the pilgrimage would be risky. He asked Trust members to submit any written objections to the report to the Tehsildar, after which a final decision would be taken only following a thorough examination of safety standards and all related aspects.\n\nExperts at the meeting also suggested that a detailed geological study of the sensitive stretch from Bhimdwari to Parvati Bagh be carried out by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) or another competent body. This would allow a scientific assessment of the area's real condition and help suggest long term solutions and mitigation measures for safely running the pilgrimage in future.\n\nHow tough the journey is\nThe Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra begins from Nirmand in Kullu district. It is a roughly 32 km long trek that has to be covered on foot up a steep mountain, with dangerous paths and glacier crossings along the way. Each year the pilgrimage is officially held from 10 July to 23 July. At a height of 19,000 feet stands a 75 foot stone Shivling, which large numbers of devotees come to worship, even though the journey is considered extremely risky.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• For pilgrims: With the 2026 Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra in doubt, anyone planning the trek should wait for the final decision and avoid locking in travel or arrangements in advance.\n• In Kullu, Himachal: The Bhimdwari to Parvati Bagh stretch and the Bhimdwari camping area have been flagged as a high risk zone with landslide and flash flood dangers, so movement through this area should be avoided.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Will the 2026 Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra take place?\nIt is in doubt. Experts have called the pilgrimage unsafe under current conditions, and a final decision will be taken only after a thorough check of safety standards.\n\n2. Which is the most dangerous part of the route?\nThe stretch from Bhimdwari to Parvati Bagh has been flagged as the most sensitive and hazardous, with steep slopes, loose soil and several streams.\n\n3. When did the expert team inspect the route?\nThe team carried out a detailed inspection of the route on 8 June and 18 June and submitted its report.\n\n4. Who chaired the meeting?\nTrust president and Kullu DC Anurag Chandra Sharma chaired the meeting held on Wednesday.\n\n5. What dangers have the experts warned about?\nWith the monsoon approaching, they warned of landslides, falling rocks, sudden surges in water levels, flash floods and debris flow.\n\n6. When is the pilgrimage held each year?\nThe Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra is officially held every year from 10 July to 23 July.\n\n7. Where does the Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra begin and how long is it?\nIt begins from Nirmand in Kullu district and is a roughly 32 km long, difficult trek.\n\n8. At what height is the Shivling located?\nThere is a 75 foot stone Shivling at a height of 19,000 feet, which devotees come to worship.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/religion/monasuna-ke-khatare-ne-atakai-19-hajara-phita-ki-charhai-visheshajnon-ne-shrikhand-mahadev-yatra-2026-ko-bataya-asurakshita-2915",
  "category": "Religion",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-25",
  "tags": [
    "Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra",
    "Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra 2026",
    "Kullu",
    "Himachal Pradesh",
    "Bhimdwari Parvati Bagh",
    "High Risk Zone",
    "ABVMAS Manali"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}