Uttarakhand– With just 11 months remaining for the grand Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra, the Nanda Devi Rajjat Committee has urged the Uttarakhand government to immediately constitute a dedicated Nanda Devi Council. The committee estimates that nearly one crore devotees will participate in the centuries-old pilgrimage.
On Sunday, a meeting of the Rajjat Committee was held at the residence of Bhawani Pratap Singh Panwar, a member of the Tehri royal family, on Rajpur Road. The discussion focused on the lack of visible preparation so far for the three-week-long pilgrimage, which covers nearly 280 km on foot to the high Himalayan Homkund. The route passes through seven remote halts with no human settlements. Held once every 12 years, the Rajjat is considered the “Himalayan Mahakumbh” and draws devotees from Champawat, Badiyakot, Lata, Joshimath, and other regions.
During the meeting, concerns were raised regarding route readiness, parking, food, accommodation, medical support, and security. Committee president Prof. Rakesh Chandra Singh Kunwar said that the government must ensure basic facilities at all halts. General Secretary Bhuvan Nautiyal stressed the need for timely repair of roads and bridges and pressed for immediate council formation to streamline coordination. The committee also emphasized environmental protection, suggesting that only a limited number of yatris be allowed beyond Bedini Bugyal with mandatory health check-ups.
Cultural integration and academic preservation were also discussed. Manoj Verma, head of the Almora unit, confirmed that Kumaon’s Nanda Yatra will join at Nand Kesari as per tradition. General Secretary Manoj Sanwal highlighted the need for documentation of historical facts related to the yatra, while also proposing the establishment of a university in the name of Nanda Devi to preserve Uttarakhand’s cultural heritage.
Bhawani Pratap Singh Panwar, representing the royal family, described the pilgrimage as a symbol of Garhwal and Kumaon’s shared cultural identity. He urged the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, to undertake full documentation of the event. He also requested the government to release funds in advance and draft a standard operating procedure (SOP) for protecting fragile alpine meadows (bugyals).
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Several sub-committees were formed to manage different aspects of the yatra. The meeting saw participation from key members including Bhuvan Nautiyal, Shiv Painyuli, Dr. Avinash Chandra Joshi, Prof. Subhash Chandra Thaledi, D.P. Sati, Major General Kunwar Digvijay Singh (Retd.), Vinod Prasad Raturi, Dr. Nandkishore Hatwal, Dr. Harish Chandra Maikhuri, D.S. Kunwar, Laxmi Rawat, Rashmi Purohit, Kundan Singh Tikola, Manoj Purohit, Dr. Manvendra Bartwal, Harish Chandra Nautiyal, Aishwarya Nautiyal, Asha Ram Kumedi, Dr. Alok, Sandeep Gusain, Bishan Singh Kunwar, Vinod Nautiyal, Ravindra Topal, Colonel D.S. Bartwal, and Vivek Nautiyal.
