Road blockades leave Kagbeni deserted during Sorha Shraddha

Kagbeni in Mustang district, which usually draws large crowds of pilgrims during Sorha Shraddha, has become deserted this year after heavy rain blocked the road.

Landslides and road erosion caused by rain falling from Asoj 9 to 11 closed the Beni–Jomsom–Korala road section, and very few people have come to Kagbeni to perform Shraddha rites. The confluence, where the Kali river flowing from Damodarkunda meets the Gandaki flowing from springs in the Muktinath area, is believed to satisfy ancestors and bring merit when pinda and tarpan are offered there. During Pitri Paksha, pilgrims come to offer tarpan from various parts of Nepal as well as from India.

Local priest Balkrishna Subedi said that in previous years, between 800 and 1,000 pilgrims reached Kagbeni every day once Sorha Shraddha began. This year, he said, only about 20 to 30 people are arriving daily.

With fewer pilgrims coming, hotels in Kagbeni and Jomsom have been hit by a drop in guests. With little activity, the priests who conduct Shraddha rites have also become idle.