Chandigarh: A remote tribal village located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh at an elevation of about 7,800 feet, Bada Bhangal is now blocked off from the rest of the state due to the Kalihani river's changed course caused by severe rains that caused landslides. Situated between the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal mountain ranges, Bada Bhangal is home to an estimated 400 inhabitants.
The village is only accessible on foot via the treacherous high-altitude passes of Kalihani Pass (4,800m) and Thamsar Pass (4,654m). These roads often close in October after snowfall, cutting off the community for roughly half the year.
Access to the footbridge over the Kalihani River has been washed away as the river has changed course, blocking the pedestrian route from Bir Billing in Baijnath subdivision, which has also been washed away in numerous places, TNIE reported.
The sarpanch of the village, Mansa Ram Bhangalia, has written to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Baijnath, urging swift action to restore pedestrian paths that were damaged by recent landslides.
He reportedly told The New Indian Express that the journey from Thamsar to the village now takes three days on foot due to the destruction of several sections of the trail. Bhangalia estimated the cost of repairing the approach to the bridge at around ₹5 lakh, but noted that a full assessment was difficult since large parts of the path had been washed away.
He also raised concerns over the disruption of essential supplies such as food and medicine, pointing out that the last consignment had arrived three days earlier. With the Kalihani route—used by the Food and Civil Supplies Department—rendered unusable by continuous rainfall, the delivery of rations had stalled, he said.
A government official said that efforts were ongoing to repair the khachar trail as quickly as possible, adding that the situation was being monitored closely.
The village is mainly populated by members of the Gaddi community, a traditionally nomadic group known for herding livestock in alpine pastures during the summer months and relocating to Bir near Baijnath in the winter. While shifting climate patterns have led many to settle permanently elsewhere, some villagers have chosen to remain despite the challenging conditions.