BIRTH DAYS AND HONEYMOONS IN THE DELUGE

Soniya Rohra, a Senior Manager in a Marketing Agency was to celebrate her 35th birthday with a surprise trip to Manali, planned by her husband. However, what was meant to be a joyous occasion quickly turned into a nightmarish experience as the couple found themselves stranded in a Kullu village amid heavy downpour without any amenities for nearly days. Soniya and her husband, also a Manager at an IT firm in Pune, embarked on their journey to Manali on July 7.

However, their optimism soon faded as rain began to pour during their drive to Kasol. On July 9, as they woke up and prepared to proceed towards Manali via Manikaran Sahib, they discovered that the weather had worsened. But they were not aware that it would prove to be a fateful decision. They set out towards Manikaran Sahib, but a few kilometres ahead the path was obstructed by a fallen tree due to the heavy rainfall. With no way to continue, they were forced to turn back towards Manali via Kullu.

The couple’s adventure began with landslides along the Kullu route, with rocks and boulders tumbling down from the mountains. Undeterred, they managed to navigate through Kullu but were met with a red alert and barricades at the Pathlikul bridge, just 25 kilometres from their destination. With no option they turned back from Pathlikul and searched for a hotel in nearby Dobhi village amid continuous rains. They found one but it had no electricity and even water. The hotel was situated adjacent to the swollen Beas River, and they slept with its ominous roar.

After they woke up the next morning, they discovered that numerous other stranded individuals, including several couples, shared their predicament. There were couples who came to celebrate anniversaries, doing pujas and even honeymooning in the Devbhoomi. By the afternoon of July 12, with the rainfall subsiding, they jumped into a taxi going up to Mandi. But the slippery roads, continuous rain, and frequent landslides made their return journey arduous.

At times, they had to alight from the car and push it to overcome the obstacles. Upon reaching Mandi they drove to Chandigarh on July 13, where they caught the first available flight back to Pune later that day.

All through the ordeal the tourists had little or no cash with no ATM working. There was no essential food item even to eat and drink. They were cut off from the outside world with mobile and electricity connections snapped, it’s not only the tourists, but even the locals are facing hardships in rain- affected areas.