https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Officers Trying To Preserve Alexander’s Legacy Scarred In Malana Fire

A major fire gutted 16 houses in the famous Malana Village in Himachal Pradesh a month ago. Malana residents are known to be descendants of soldiers of Alexander The Great. A historical legacy and heritage is considered to be damaged in the incident.
Indian Masterminds Stories

A village fire is no big news. But the one that broke out in Malana, an ancient village in Himachal Pradesh, was an exception because of the village’s unique historical value.

The village is special because of its residents, considered to be the descendants of Greek soldiers who accompanied Alexander the Great, in his attempt to conquest India, after he had already routed most Persian and Arab nations.

Malana Village, Kullu Himachal Pradesh

The village is unique as most houses here are made of teak and deodar wood. And the fire damaged a historical heritage besides playing havoc with life and property.

WHY MALANA IS UNIQUE

It is also known as ‘The Stoner’s Paradise due to its famous Malana cream which is the world’s best quality hash. Apart from tourism, this is one of the main sources of the villagers’ income.

Residents of this village speak a unique language called Kanashi, have Mediterranean features, and practice one of the oldest democratic systems in the world. No outsider is allowed to touch any villager or their properties, otherwise he or she will be liable for a fine of Rs. 3500.

Although this village is a beautiful tourist spot, no tourist is allowed to stay in the village. They also have their own legal system such as village panchayat in place, and it is said that if someone wants the help of police, then he or she has to pay a fine.

THE FIRE

 The fire broke out in the village at 1.30 am and soon spread to a dozen houses made of wood. A disaster management official said, “Sixteen houses were gutted and around 150 people were rendered homeless in the incident “

Residents tried to douse the flames on their own since it was not possible for fire tenders to reach the village as there’s no road connectivity.

The Rescue Operation by ITBP Soldiers.

ITBP Babeli, fire team and home guard team were also rushed to the spot for rescue operations. But, by the time they could bring the raging fire under control, it had already inflicted irreparable damage to the unique Greek village in India.

Take of Chief Minister

Chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Jairam Thakur, visited the site in the month of November and became the first CM who reached this mysterious remote village.

The CM also announced Rs.1 crore to build a new road and also directed PWD to complete the work within 6 months.  Apart from this, he also announced Rs. 40000 for each of the victims under MNREGA and Rs. 25000for families whose houses were gutted completely and Rs. 10000 to those whose house was damaged partially.

CM Visit to the Village.

“A better road will be built to the village, which will not only boost tourism but also help develop the village. The villagers should preserve the rich cultural heritage and motivate the younger generation to feel proud of their culture,” the CM declared.

THE LESSONS

The Malana incident has imparted important lessons to people living in the hills. First being the need to construct water storage tanks at higher reaches, fed by perennial sources, to control fire disasters in congested villages having wooden houses.

Besides this, awareness should be spread among the villagers to change conventional means of stacking firewood and fodder. Low quality electrical fittings and appliances should be avoided to prevent further fire mishaps, say rural planning experts.

IFS Officer Aishwarya Raj and his team with villagers.

IFS officer Aishwarya Raj, who is also Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests, Parvati Valley, said, “Our team has visited the site in Malana Village and assessed the damage and requirements of people for rebuilding their houses through timber distribution of salvage trees for homes, so that some of the scars can heal.”

Personal scars of the villagers might heal with time, but the damage done to the village of historical importance might be permanent.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
Mohan Yadav
MP CM Mohan Yadav Pushes for Sustainable, Community-Driven Rural Water Policy; Targets 100% Tap Coverage by March 2027
Ajay Bhadoo IAS
IAS Ajay Bhadoo Gets Extended Term as DGFT - What It Means & His Career Journey
THDCIL_Receives_ABMS_Certification_for_Integrity_and_Transparency
THDC India (THDCIL) Awarded ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Certification by BIS - Details Inside
Ministry of Environment
Environment Ministry Clarifies Petrol Vehicle Tender, Cites E-Vehicle Flexibility
Bokaro Steel Plant
PESB Selects Priya Ranjan to Head Bokaro Steel Plant, SAIL’s Key Production Unit
REC Limited wins ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC (DNA) Awards
REC Limited Bags ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC Awards
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
Dharavi Redevelopment: IAS Minds Turning 100-Year-Old Slum into a Modern City | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT