When Shashank Raj Joshi and his family did Char Dham Yatra This year, he tried to cover many pilgrimage sites, but found that Badrinath and Kedarnath were more crowded than other places.
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“We traveled between June 1 and June 11, and visited Rishikesh, Rudraprayag, Karnprayag, Nandprayag, Flower VallyGurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib, Badrinath, KedarnathiYamunotri, Harshil and Gangotri,” the 24-year-old shared with this outlet.
Shashank Raj Joshi (right) with his family in Gangotri. (Photo: Shashank Raj Joshi)
Joshi said it was not easy to stand in long queues, he made sure he stayed hydratedcarried a first aid box with first medicines, used face masks And maintained social distance amid the pandemic. “It is also our responsibility to preserve such historical and religious places when we travel there,” he said. “As tourists, we should follow all the traffic rules, maintain the cleanliness of the place and also respect the nature.”
However, in May this year it was reported that tourists visiting the state left a mountain of garbage and garbage for the locals to clean up, viral social media videos confirm this. This resulted in environmental hazards including air and water pollution (particularly the sacred lakes and rivers flowing here). But, it is not the only road here.
Status of Uttarakhand It is known as ‘Devbhoomi’ or ‘Land of the Gods’, and has many great pilgrimage sites including holy temples that attract millions of pilgrims – mainly Hindus – from around the world.
Char Dham The circuit comprises four sites – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath – and according to Hindu scriptures, all these places are highly sacred. Therefore, the last wish of every practicing Hindu is to visit these pilgrimages at least once in their life, so that they can attain ‘realisation’.salvation‘ Or salvation. It is also said that the journey should be completed in a clockwise direction; That is, they should start from Yamunotri, then to Gangotri, then to Kedarnath and finally to Badrinath.
It is this belief that attracts tourists annually – a practice that was virtually halted for almost two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which restricted people’s movements and was one of the primary measures to contain the spread of the virus. Called social distancing as one of the infection.
This year, when the tour resumed, there was an influx of so many tourists that it literally got overcrowded. The video showed people stranded on mountain roads leading to their destinations.
The Char Dham circuit comprises four sites – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. (Express Archive Photo)
Additionally, as per the data released by the Uttarakhand Emergency Operations Centre, since the commencement of the yatra on May 3, 203 people have died so far this year, of which 97 were pilgrims on the Kedarnath route, 51 died in Badrinath. . 13 in Gangotri and 42 in Yamunotri; Cause of death is being reported cardiac arrest and other health issues.
For the solace-seeking pilgrims, the journey has therefore not been easy. But, is Devbhoomi witnessing an unprecedented increase in the number of tourists? And if so, is he ready to deal with this chaos?
“For the past few years, people could not travel. They were confined to their chairs simply because of the routine of working from home. There was this pent-up desire to travel somewhere, and international travels were off limits. So, while they couldn’t think of places to visit, they wanted to pack their bags and take them somewhere else. Perhaps this is the reason why Uttarakhand is witnessing such dangerous moves,” said Shaishav of Chalo Musafir, a tour agency.
he said he was in Nainital Recently more came to know that the government has started returning the tourists who came without any confirmed hotel booking, to control the crowd.
When it comes to Char Dham Yatra, uttarakhandtourism.gov.in mentions that it is “compulsory” to register yourself before travelling, as it will give you “access to attractions and services such as Worship Information about booking, heli service, philosophy time, and much more”.
The government has made the process mandatory since 2014, and a QR code can be issued to devotees only after registration is complete. “The registration helps in better monitoring and control of the influx of pilgrims, making the journey safer for all. Once you are logged in to the application, you can get help in getting medical assistance, SOS, police helpline etc,” the site mentions.
Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock)
Gurchaman Singh, manager of ‘Chardham Travel’, a travel agency in Haridwar specializing in Char Dham travel packages, told this outlet that the reason for this tourist build-up in the state may be due to the lockdown in the initial period of the pandemic. “More than two years of deadlock”.
“People booked in advance and joined a new influx of tourists (when the lockdown restrictions were relaxed) leading to an increase in footfalls. Having said that, Yatra has always gained popularity,” he said.
Singh also pointed out that many tourists are not aware of the registration process put in place by the government, which can lead to confusion. He explained, “Many people were asked to return to Haridwar or Rishikesh, as they were not registered and started crowding the yatra route.”
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Singh said that while medical provisions are made by the government in the base camps, the Char Dham Yatra is normally difficult. “In Kedarnath, for example, the body’s oxygen levels can fluctuate, given its altitude. Therefore, for an older person, it can lead to a heart attack,
What to know from health point of view before starting Char Dham Yatra?
Needless to say that the journey to Char Dham is not easy. While spiritually gratifying, it can be testing and time-consuming. Doctors say that it is important that you know your body and understand its signals.
According to Dr Bharat Aggarwal, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai, standing for a long time can cause fatigue, exhaustion. fainting (fainting) episode, and swelling of the feet. “Other than this, diabetic patient If they fast for a long time they may have low sugar levels,” he warned.
The doctor said medical facilities should be made available to take care of basic trauma, respiratory problems and cardiac emergencies, especially where there is a “large crowd”.
Agreeing with him, Dr Ajay Kaul, Chairman, Cardiology at Fortis Hospital, Noida, said that before embarking on a journey – which involves several days of travel and long queues – people should consider doing the following:
1. Medical checkup before starting the journey.
2. Appropriate care during travel, such as taking medicines on time, taking proper rest and spacing between two stressful exercises.
3. The government should make arrangements in separate queues for the elderly and those who have health problems.
4. Medical facilities at intervals during the journey.
5. Limiting the number of pilgrims to reduce overcrowding.
Dr Kaul said that any exercise that the body is not familiar with or is not used to should be done after a lot of planning, especially for patients who have underlying health problems. “If you are a heart patient or have risk factors for heart problems, you should understand the dos and don’ts before doing strenuous exercise,” he said, adding that risk factors may lead to a higher incidence of heart problems. These include extreme conditions like cold, dehydration, lack of oxygen due to high altitude, not consuming proper food, lack of sleep, fatigue and not taking regular medicines.
It should also be noted that the epidemic continues, and covid-appropriate behavior Piyush Goyal, Consultant, Pulmonology, Manipal Hospitals, Gurugram, said that still to be followed, which include “wearing of face masks, following mandatory social distancing, proper hand hygiene”. “Symptomatic patients should not hide their symptoms and should avoid visiting crowded places.”
The doctor warned that high altitude “may exacerbate health problems due to stress, exertion, low oxygen, low temperature”, leading to a “higher chance of developing lung infections”. urinary tract infectionsWhich can be an added stress to the body”.
“Medical facilities should be made more robust to deal with serious conditions like acute myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, respiratory distress, pneumonia. Before starting the Char Dham Yatra I will emphasize on the medically detailed work of these patients so that these tragedies can be avoided,” he concluded.
While Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri will be closed for tourists in October, Badrinath will remain open till November 2022.
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