KANGRA, April 14: — An unusually prolonged spell of April snowfall and rain has disrupted the seasonal migration of Gaddi shepherds in Himachal Pradesh, leaving several stranded in Kangra district for over 10 days.
The shepherds, en route to summer pastures in Bara Bhangal and Chamba, have been forced to halt in Palampur, Chamunda, Jia, Baijnath and nearby areas due to heavy snowfall in the high-altitude zones of Kangra, Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti.
Forest officials have advised them to delay their journey further, citing persistent bad weather and a fresh spell of snowfall forecast in the Dhauladhar range next week.
“The conditions at high altitudes remain dangerous. We’ve asked all shepherds to postpone their migration,” said a forest official in Baijnath.
The Thamsar Pass — a key gateway to Bara Bhangal located at 18,000 feet — has seen 3 to 4 feet of fresh snow in the past week. Normally opening by early May, the pass may remain shut until June this year, officials added.
On Sunday, lightning struck a shepherd camp near Baijnath, killing 150 sheep. “It was a horrifying night. We couldn’t save anything,” said Ramesh, a shepherd from Utrala.
The incident has triggered panic across the community, already struggling against harsh weather and the risk of livestock loss. Shepherds reported being stranded in locations including Jia Kandwari, Utrala, Deol, Panjala and Sansal, waiting for conditions to ease.
The Gaddi shepherds, a nomadic community, follow a traditional migration route each year — moving through lower districts such as Una, Bilaspur, Kangra, Solan, Hamirpur and Sirmaur during winters, and heading to high-altitude pastures in the Dhauladhar hills, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Chamba in summer.
“This is the first time in many years we’ve faced such a long delay,” said Mohan Lal, a shepherd leader from Sansal. “We are worried not just about the weather, but also about food for our animals.”
Local authorities said they are monitoring the situation and will continue issuing advisories based on evolving weather patterns.
