DEHRADUN: This year, as many as 58 pilgrims died within 16 days of the world-famous Char Dham Yatra, most of them due to heart attacks. The state health department has started following the screening more strictly regarding the health of the devotees.
As per official reports, in the 16 days since the Chardham Yatra began, 58 pilgrims have died, including 40 pilgrims above 50 years of age. As many as 47 pilgrims have died due to heart attack and pulmonary edema (excess fluid in the air cells of the lungs).
Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey has confirmed the tragic loss of 52 pilgrims, stating that a majority of the deceased were aged over 60. The primary cause of death has been attributed to heart attacks, with pilgrims undergoing regular health screenings along the Yatra route.
In 2023, the number of deaths in the Chardham Yatra was recorded at 250, which means the death ratio was 4.5 per lakh, while the death ratio in 2022 was much higher which was 7.5 per lakh.
Medical professionals are strongly recommending that devotees refrain from embarking on the pilgrimage if they are not in optimal health, following a thorough check-up.
Expert doctors attribute the high number of deaths during the Char Dham Yatra to the strain placed on the lungs due to the altitude in the mountainous region compared to the plains. Speaking to TNIE, Dr Rohit Gondwal elaborated, "High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) typically emerges within 24 to 96 hours following a rapid ascent beyond 2,500 meters. HAPE is cited as the leading cause of fatalities attributed to altitude sickness. Individuals acclimated to high elevations may experience HAPE upon descending to lower altitudes following a brief stay".
The Health Department has issued instructions for pilgrims coming on the Yatra to the high Himalayan regions to take precautions regarding their health. The Health Department guidance states, "While trekking on foot to Kedarnath and Yamunotri pilgrimage sites, every devotee should take a break for five to ten minutes every one to two hours."
The chief priest of Kedarnath Dham, Shiv Shankar Ling, conveyed this information to this newspaper over the phone, saying, "Anyone who visits Badrinath Dham once in their lifetime attains the abode of 'Baikuntha', and in the same way, those who come to Kedarnath Dham attain the abode of 'Shivaloka' through their devotion."
The chief priest of Kedarnath Dham, Shiv Shankar Ling, said, "A considerable number of young individuals from the current generation are increasingly visiting the Chardham pilgrimage sites. He emphasised that while there is no opposition to the younger generation's presence, he believes that the significance of pilgrimage to these dhams is magnified after they have fulfilled theirlife's responsibilities.
