Shimla, Oct. 4 -- Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's three-day visit to remote villages in the Rohru and Rampur Assembly constituencies from October 1 to 3 offered a glimpse of mountain life, with newly opened roads bringing communities that had remained isolated for decades closer to the outside world.

The visit combined an assessment of development and local problems with an immersion in village traditions. Residents welcomed the Chief Minister and his team with traditional hospitality, home-cooked food, music, singing and Nati, the traditional dance of the Shimla hills.

Visuals of the celebrations, including the Chief Minister and members of his entourage joining villagers in singing songs in the local dialect and performing Nati, went viral on social media. Dressed in warm woollen clothes, the visitors followed the dancers' twisting steps as the village came together for the occasion.

State Advocate General Anoop Rattan, Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and SSP Gaurav Singh were among those accompanying the Chief Minister. The team spent three days interacting with villagers and women, while local men also shared their views on issues affecting the region.

"The experience was truly memorable. The area is enchanting, and the people warm and hospitable. With better road connectivity and development reaching these remote places, things are changing. Education, too, is bringing new opportunities," Rattan said. The visit also carried political significance as the Rohru and Rampur areas were long associated with six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who remained a dominant political figure in Himachal Pradesh for more than five decades.

At the conclusion of the tour, the Chief Minister's Principal Media Advisor said the visit demonstrated that the development of Himachal's hilly areas could not be assessed only through progress in major cities and important towns, but also through conditions in remote villages.

He described the programme as more than a routine administrative exercise, saying it provided an opportunity for direct dialogue between the government and rural communities.

The Chief Minister's emotional connection with Rohru and Rampur was also evident during the visit. He stayed overnight at Bhatwari and Kasha-Pat in Rampur, and is said to be the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh to have stayed overnight in both these areas.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.