The paths to spiritual solace trodden by sages and saints in Jammu and Kashmir have turned into death traps. On August 26, 2025, a devastating landslide on the Vaishno Devi shrine route killed 32 with the rescuers unearthing more bodies from the rubble of a mountain that came crashing down. This catastrophe, triggered by relentless heavy rains, follows the horror of August 14, when a cloudburst-induced flash flood in Chisoti village of Kishtwar claimed over 100 lives, leaving many missing amid the debris of a tiny village. These are not isolated acts of nature's fury but they are symptoms of unchecked climate change, rampant deforestation, and human hubris that has ravaged the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. At the heart of these disasters lies climate change which has amplified the intensity of monsoons. The Meteorological Department recorded extreme rainfall—361 mm in a single day in Jammu—fueling cloudbursts and flash floods. Climate scientists have shown how warmer atmospheres hold more moisture, leading to erratic, high-volume downpours that overwhelm the steep, erosion-prone slopes of Jammu and Kashmir. They have long warned that rising global temperatures are destabilizing the Himalayas, making landslides and floods more frequent and lethal. Yet, our contribution to greenhouse gases continues unabated, with fossil fuel dependency and industrial expansion accelerating the crisis. Exacerbating this crisis is deforestation, which has stripped our mountains of their natural defenses. Over decades, illegal logging, infrastructure projects, and agricultural encroachment have denuded vast swathes of forest cover in J&K, reducing soil stability and increasing runoff. In Kishtwar, the flash flood swept away makeshift markets and bridges because barren hillsides could no longer absorb the deluge. Similarly, the Vaishno Devi route, thronged by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually, suffers from unregulated construction—hotels, eateries, and pathways built on vulnerable terrain without regard for ecological limits. This tourism boom has turned sacred sites into disaster zones, where heavy footfall erodes soil and invites calamity. The lack of regulatory action compounds the tragedy. Despite warnings of inclement weather, pilgrims were not halted in time at Vaishno Devi, as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah alleged. In Chisoti, the absence of robust early-warning systems and evacuation protocols left devotees exposed. Infrastructure remains woefully inadequate: washed-out roads, collapsed bridges, and delayed rescues highlight negligence in disaster preparedness. While rescue teams toil heroically, preventive measures like afforestation drives and zoning laws are sidelined for short-term economic gains. These deaths are preventable and they are a grim indictment of our collective failure. If we ignore the mountains' cries, more lives will be buried under the weight of our indifference.