📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Prime Minister's Office
Weather
Gujarat grapples with ‘Bokaha’ drought as Hathiyon Nakshatra passes without rain
✍️ Bhaskar English
🗓 04 Oct 2026, 01:46 AM
👁 13
No rain fell during the Hathiyon Nakshatra, leaving 14 districts of Gujarat under severe drought conditions as scorching temperatures loom.
Gujarat is confronting a drought that locals have termed ‘Bokaha’ after a prolonged dry spell. The region received no rainfall during the recent Hathiyon Nakshatra, an astrological period that many farmers had hoped would bring precipitation.
Meteorological data indicate that the lack of rain has already affected water tables across the state, and officials warn that 14 districts are likely to experience acute water stress in the coming weeks. The districts, spread across north‑ and central Gujarat, are seeing ground moisture levels drop to critical lows.
With temperatures expected to rise further, the state’s agriculture department has issued advisories for water‑conserving practices and is monitoring the situation closely. No immediate relief measures have been announced, but authorities say they are ready to mobilise resources if the heat intensifies.
The drought comes at a time when the monsoon season is still weeks away, heightening concerns for crop sowing and livestock welfare in the affected regions.
Meteorological data indicate that the lack of rain has already affected water tables across the state, and officials warn that 14 districts are likely to experience acute water stress in the coming weeks. The districts, spread across north‑ and central Gujarat, are seeing ground moisture levels drop to critical lows.
With temperatures expected to rise further, the state’s agriculture department has issued advisories for water‑conserving practices and is monitoring the situation closely. No immediate relief measures have been announced, but authorities say they are ready to mobilise resources if the heat intensifies.
The drought comes at a time when the monsoon season is still weeks away, heightening concerns for crop sowing and livestock welfare in the affected regions.