CM Dhami Returns to Ancestral Village Hadkhola in Pithoragarh
Synopsis
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami returned to his ancestral village Hadkhola in Pithoragarh on 25 October 2026, offered traditional prayers at the Shri Hari Chand Devta Temple alongside wife Geeta Dhami, and met villagers, elders, and local representatives during a one-day district tour.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami made a one-day visit to Pithoragarh district on 25 October 2026 .
He visited his ancestral village Hadkhola , where he was welcomed by local residents and elected representatives.
Geeta Dhami , the CM's wife, accompanied him throughout the village visit.
The couple performed traditional prayers at the Shri Hari Chand Devta Temple in Hadkhola, seeking blessings for the state's prosperity.
Dhami interacted with villagers, children, and elders, listening to their concerns and receiving blessings from senior citizens.
No specific policy or development announcements were made during the village stay.
A chief minister came home. Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, made a one-day visit to Pithoragarh district on Sunday, 25 October 2026, stopping first at his ancestral village of Hadkhola — where locals, elders, and elected representatives lined up to welcome him back.
Prayers at the family shrine in Hadkhola
At the heart of the visit was a ritual moment. CM Dhami and his wife Smt. Geeta Dhami offered prayers at the Shri Hari Chand Devta Temple in Hadkhola — the local deity shrine his family has worshipped at for generations. The puja was performed with full traditional rites, vidhi-vidhan se (according to prescribed custom), with the CM seeking the deity's blessings for, in his own words, 'the happiness, prosperity, and continuous progress of the state.'
Conversations with villagers, children, and elders
After the temple visit, Dhami moved through the village the way a local — not a dignitary — would: stopping to chat with farmers, checking on children, and sitting with the elderly to receive their blessings. The CMO noted he 'enquired about their well-being and listened to their concerns.' Local representatives and officials from various departments were also present. No policy announcements were made during the village stay.
Pithoragarh is no ordinary district stop. Sitting on Uttarakhand's border with Nepal and Tibet, it is among the state's most strategically sensitive and geographically challenging regions — with rural connectivity, migration, and access to services all long-standing issues. A sitting CM's return to his roots here carries both personal and symbolic weight for hill communities that often feel distant from Dehradun's corridors of power.
For Dhami — who has been Chief Minister since 2021 and leads a BJP government that has staked much of its identity on grassroots outreach — visits like these reinforce an image of a leader still tethered to his village origins. Whether a follow-up district meeting yields concrete announcements for Pithoragarh's rural schemes will be the real measure of the day's significance.
Point of View
Accessibility, and cultural authenticity simultaneously. For Dhami, whose BJP government in Uttarakhand has consistently emphasised hill-community identity and grassroots governance, the Hadkhola stop is a calibrated reminder that his political persona is built on a Kumaoni village foundation, not just Dehradun's administrative machinery. Pithoragarh's border geography also gives the visit a subtle strategic dimension: sustained engagement with frontier districts signals awareness of their unique vulnerabilities. The real test will be whether the symbolism translates into follow-through — district-level scheme announcements, infrastructure push, or migration-relief measures in the weeks ahead.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is CM Dhami's ancestral village?
Hadkhola is CM Pushkar Singh Dhami's ancestral village, located in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.
Which temple did CM Dhami visit in Hadkhola?
CM Dhami and his wife Geeta Dhami offered prayers at the Shri Hari Chand Devta Temple in Hadkhola, the family's ancestral deity shrine.
When did CM Dhami visit Pithoragarh in 2026?
CM Dhami undertook a one-day visit to Pithoragarh district, including his ancestral village Hadkhola, on 25 October 2026 .
What did CM Dhami do at his ancestral village?
He performed traditional temple prayers with wife Geeta Dhami, met local villagers and elected representatives, interacted with children and elders, and sought blessings from senior citizens.
