CHANDIGARH: For the first time, the rules for devotees undertaking the Manimahesh Yatra, one of North India's most revered Himalayan pilgrimages dedicated to Lord Shiva, have been made stricter than last year to prevent a repeat of the 2025 crisis.
The pilgrimage, which involves an arduous trek at an altitude of around 4,000 metres in Himachal Pradesh, will begin on August 25.
Keeping in mind the safety of pilgrims, environmental protection and crowd management, the administration has introduced mandatory online registration on the lines of the Amarnath Yatra, daily pilgrim quotas, drone surveillance and closure of the traditional parikrama trek via Kugti village.
According to the Chamba district administration, the safety of devotees will be the top priority during the pilgrimage.
Online registration and slot booking will open from August 1 through the official portal.
For the first time, the pilgrimage will be regulated through an e-pass system similar to that used for the Amarnath Yatra.
Initially, around 5,000 pilgrims will be allowed each day. The daily quota may be increased during Krishna Janmashtami and Radhashtami depending on weather conditions, security arrangements and the carrying capacity of the route.
Every year, a large number of devotees visit the shrine, and the number of pilgrims has been increasing steadily in recent years. As a result, environmental pressure and the risk of accidents have also grown.
Several additional measures have been introduced this year in accordance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines to protect the natural environment and ensure the safety of devotees.
Comprehensive security arrangements will also be in place throughout the pilgrimage.
Deputy Commissioner of Chamba Mukesh Repaswal said mandatory registration and slot booking had been introduced to regulate pilgrim movement, prevent overcrowding and enable the administration to respond swiftly during emergencies.
"This system will help ensure a safe, smooth and well-managed pilgrimage. Every effort is being made to strengthen safety, improve crowd management and protect the fragile Himalayan environment," he said.
Repaswal added that strict compliance with NGT guidelines would be enforced throughout the pilgrimage, with special emphasis on scientific disposal of plastic waste, minimising the use of single-use plastic and implementing an effective waste management system to keep the entire yatra route clean.
The new system has been introduced following the unprecedented disaster during last year's yatra, when incessant rain and flash floods washed away several stretches of the Chamba-Bharmour highway, the lifeline of the pilgrimage.
More than 15,000 devotees were stranded at different locations after road connectivity was snapped, forcing the administration, the Army, the Air Force, the NDRF, the SDRF and local volunteers to launch a massive rescue operation by road and air.
Of the nearly two dozen casualties reported during last year's yatra, 17 occurred on the Kugti route.
The route is a challenging high-altitude circular trek of about 38 to 45 kilometres beginning in Bharmour, passing through Kugti village and crossing Jotnu Pass (4,748 metres) before descending to Manimahesh Lake.
Sources said devotees would not be permitted to undertake the Kugti trek this year because of safety concerns.
"Only devotees approaching from the Lahaul-Spiti side, for whom this route has deep religious significance, will be allowed to use it," an official said.
During the monsoon every year, lakhs of pilgrims undertake the 13-km trek from Hadsar village in the tribal Bharmour region of Chamba to take a holy dip in Manimahesh Lake, located at an altitude of 13,500 feet at the foot of Kailash Peak, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva.
