Held every year in the months of August and September in the tribal Bharmour region of Chamba district, the yatra draws lakhs of devotees from across the country. They undertake arduous treks to the sacred lake situated at an altitude of nearly 13,500 feet beneath the Manimahesh Kailash peak, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva. The annual pilgrimage this year starts on September 4, coinciding with the festival of Janmashtmi and ends on the occasion of Radhashtmi on September 19.
The pilgrimage begins from Hadsar and passes through key halting points including Dhancho, Sundrasi and Gaurikund before reaching the lake.
Bharmour Additional District Magistrate Vikas Sharma, who recently met with key stakeholders including priests and shopkeepers, said the pilgrimage would emphasise environmental protection. This follows repeated concerns raised over waste accumulation, overcrowding and ecological damage in the fragile Himalayan region.
In a 2024 order, the NGT recommended implementing mandatory online registration for pilgrims, assessing the trekking route’s carrying capacity, and regulating daily pilgrim movement to reduce ecological pressure on the area.
The recommendations called for strict monitoring of commercial activities along the yatra route, with no shops or langars allowed in the Manimahesh lake catchment area. The court had also directed increasing the number of toilets and sanitation facilities along the route after authorities found the existing infrastructure inadequate for the massive rush of pilgrims witnessed during the previous yatras.
Sharma said that no commercial activity or langars will be permitted in the catchment area around the sacred Dal Lake to preserve water quality and maintain the sanctity of the pilgrimage site
“Temporary stalls set up along the route from Hadsar to the lake must operate strictly under NGT norms. All shopkeepers will require prior permission from the Forest Department and must pay sanitation charges to ensure proper waste collection and disposal during the pilgrimage season,” he said.
Plastic littering, illegal encroachments and unregulated commercial activity will invite strict action.
The administration is also likely to introduce an eco-fee and sanitation charge for pilgrims and commercial establishments to fund waste management, trail maintenance and environmental conservation efforts along the route.
At the same time, the Bharmour administration has accelerated restoration and safety works on the pilgrimage route, which suffered extensive damage during last year’s heavy rains and landslides. Repair work on the trekking path from Hadsar to Manimahesh Dal has already started. Authorities have also directed departments concerned to restore vulnerable stretches on the Bharmour-Hadsar road where landslides damaged portions of the roadway.
For pilgrim safety, new wooden bridges will also be constructed at sensitive points such as Dunali and Dhancho where bridges were either washed away or severely damaged during the monsoon season.
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