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Uttarkashi Ramlila slips, slides away: The Pioneer
Uttarkashi, Oct 06: For the crowds gathering at the sprawling Ram Lila grounds here, the spectacle this year has little to do with stagecraft. Falling from the Varunavat Parbat, huge boulders are gathering in the middle of the ground - a phenomenon the people see as `Prabhu`s Lila,` this time different and obviously deadly.
Uttarkashi, Oct 06: For the crowds gathering at the sprawling Ram Lila grounds here, the spectacle this year has little to do with stagecraft. Falling from the Varunavat Parbat, huge boulders are gathering in the middle of the ground - a phenomenon the people see as "Prabhu's Lila," this time different and obviously deadly.
"One doubts if ever a Ramlila would be enacted at this ground. A lot will depend on how much debris gathers in and around the ground," K K Pant, the District Magistrate, said. Shri Adarsh Ramlila Samiti used to organise Ramlila every year at this ground - the only one in this holy town.
"We are witnessing an entirely different kind of God's lila. We were prepared to organise a grand Ramlila this time but the landslides hit the town when the festivities were to be inaugurated," R R Rautori, an active member of the Ramlila Committee, said.
Life comes to a grinding halt in this picturesque, ancient town whenever the Varnunavat unleashes its fury.
The movement of the people gets severely affected when the Varunavat rumbles as the eventual landslides and boulder-dash lay waste human habitat.
"We don't know how long the Varunavat will keep going like this. Even the experts don't have a definitive reply. We are keeping our fingers crossed," Mr Pant added. "Our efforts are on to put a contingency plan in place if the situation further worsens," he added.
In search of answers, a team of experts from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) comprising Dr Shantanu Sarkar, D P Kanoongo and Dr Pradeep Chauhan, recently visited the area. According to them, the landslides started from a place called Taanbakhani.
"There are several cracks in the mountain around a place called Taanbakhani. These cracks are wide and deep enough to absorb lot of rain water. These waters are believed to have created pressure, causing the landslides. The detailed report, however, is still awaited," Mr Pant added.
In Delhi, geologists say that the Himalayan range is passing through an adjustment phase. So the earthquakes and the landslides are inevitable. "Unlike the Vindhyachal range of mountains, the Himalayan mountains are young. They aren't settled yet," Professor D M Banerjee of Delhi University's Department of Geology said.
"Geologically, several parts of Iran, Iraq, China and Myanmar and the entire region of the Hindukush are unstable. There is no element of surprise in what is happening in Uttarkashi. It is a geological process and nothing else," he added.
The work on removing debris will start only when the landslides stop, which could happen after a week, experts hope. "We have to clear the Gangotri Road on a priority basis which has been closed since the landslides began 12 days back," Prof Banerjee said.
The Gangotri Road is considered to be the heart and soul of Uttarkashi. Its main market and other vital installments, including the sole Government-affiliated college, are located around the Gangotri Road.
The town's major hotels -Mandakini, Vijayraj, Satkar and Vijay - were located along the Gangotri Road. These hotels are now buried under the debris.
Much to the opposition of the locals, an alternative route has been opened to tourists travelling to Gangotri.
"It will be a setback to Uttarkashi if the administration closes the traditional route to Gangotri. Our holy town is already struggling against divine odds for its survival," R R Ramola, a retired Border Security Force (BSF) official, said.
"We don't know how long the Varunavat will keep going like this. Even the experts don't have a definitive reply. We are keeping our fingers crossed," Mr Pant added. "Our efforts are on to put a contingency plan in place if the situation further worsens," he added.
In search of answers, a team of experts from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) comprising Dr Shantanu Sarkar, D P Kanoongo and Dr Pradeep Chauhan, recently visited the area. According to them, the landslides started from a place called Taanbakhani.
"There are several cracks in the mountain around a place called Taanbakhani. These cracks are wide and deep enough to absorb lot of rain water. These waters are believed to have created pressure, causing the landslides. The detailed report, however, is still awaited," Mr Pant added.
In Delhi, geologists say that the Himalayan range is passing through an adjustment phase. So the earthquakes and the landslides are inevitable. "Unlike the Vindhyachal range of mountains, the Himalayan mountains are young. They aren't settled yet," Professor D M Banerjee of Delhi University's Department of Geology said.
"Geologically, several parts of Iran, Iraq, China and Myanmar and the entire region of the Hindukush are unstable. There is no element of surprise in what is happening in Uttarkashi. It is a geological process and nothing else," he added.
The work on removing debris will start only when the landslides stop, which could happen after a week, experts hope. "We have to clear the Gangotri Road on a priority basis which has been closed since the landslides began 12 days back," Prof Banerjee said.
The Gangotri Road is considered to be the heart and soul of Uttarkashi. Its main market and other vital installments, including the sole Government-affiliated college, are located around the Gangotri Road.
The town's major hotels -Mandakini, Vijayraj, Satkar and Vijay - were located along the Gangotri Road. These hotels are now buried under the debris.
Much to the opposition of the locals, an alternative route has been opened to tourists travelling to Gangotri.
"It will be a setback to Uttarkashi if the administration closes the traditional route to Gangotri. Our holy town is already struggling against divine odds for its survival," R R Ramola, a retired Border Security Force (BSF) official, said.