Water Shortage Hits Kangra

McLeod Ganj is listed as the 2nd wettest village in India. However, increased global and climatic conditions have resulted in no snow in the lower Himalayan foothills this winter, and coupled with a “reduced” monsoon means that the village has been suffering from a severe water shortage - it hardly seems believable when I look back on my initial scribblings back in September. For the last three days the hot water supply has been cut off, and indeed often no water supply at all! Now electricity going off intermittently, I can cope with, but no water? Ouch! One needs one´s coffee!

The mains tap on the villages only two roads host queues of Indians and Tibetans armed with huge containers.

The Himalayan Valley Yoga Centre, which runs it´s studio on the top floor of our building is starting a teacher training course tomorrow and we´re expecting 14 new neighbours, which is not going to help the situation. I guess that this is why the whole exterior is currently being repainted and looking spanky new.

Fortunately, out current neighbours are a cool Canadian elderly couple. She is an ex- educator and a very accomplished water-colour artist and he is a retired pilot who has his own four seater. “Canada is probably the only place it is affordable:”

As for showering, well although I love long hot baths, these were always serious luxuries, Since relocating to India I have returned to the “Bucket” shower. Fill up a bucket with water of a temperature that suits and then use of scoop to douse. Always 100% refreshing! Just wish we had enough water to fill the bucket!


Taken outside the bus station