Entire Jhaniyar Village reduced to ashes in massive fire, 16 houses and two temples destroyed in Kullu’s Tirthan Valley
Kullu, Nov 10,
In a devastating blaze that engulfed the entire Jhaniyar village in the Tirthan Valley of Banjar sub-division, Kullu district, on Monday afternoon, at least 16 traditional wooden houses, including two temples and a cowshed, were completely gutted.
The fire, which broke out around 2:30 pm, spread swiftly through the closely built wooden houses, leaving the entire settlement in flames within minutes. Cut off from motorable access, the remote village under Nuhanda panchayat remained beyond the reach of fire tenders, forcing villagers to fight the inferno on their own. Their efforts, however, were futile against the fierce blaze that consumed every structure in sight.
“The entire village has been gutted,” confirmed Banjar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pankaj Sharma, adding that “as per preliminary estimates, 16 houses, two temples, and a cowshed have been completely destroyed. One cattle has also died in the tragedy.”
He said that relief materials and interim financial assistance were rushed to the spot without delay, and a magisterial inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the fire. “The tehsildar will conduct the probe. We are also assessing the losses suffered by each family,” Sharma added.
Initial findings suggest that the fire may have originated from a fodder shed (locally known as Badachha) due to an electrical short circuit, before spreading rapidly across the cluster of houses built in the traditional Kath-Kuni style — a form of wooden and stone architecture known for its beauty but prone to fire hazards.
Local MLA Surender Shourie, who visited Jhaniyar in the evening, described the scene as “heart-wrenching” and urged welfare organisations and volunteers to extend all possible support to the displaced families. “The administration has taken immediate steps for relief, but rehabilitation will require collective effort from the community,” he said.
Officials confirmed that tents, rations, and other essentials have been distributed to affected families, while long-term rehabilitation and compensation plans are being prepared.
The incident once again underscores the fire vulnerability of Himachal’s remote, roadless mountain hamlets, where firefighting becomes nearly impossible and entire settlements can vanish within hours.
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