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Indian pilgrimage sees rising death toll

Warning: this Indian pilgrimage can be fatal
Indian pilgrimage sees rising death toll
The pilgrimage route cuts through mountainous terrain
Published: July 27, 2012 10:33 AM GMT
Updated: July 27, 2012 10:33 AM GMT

Sunny Verma’s pilgrimage in the Indian Himalayas two years ago was supposed to have been a moment of joy. But along the route of the Amarnath Yatra, or Holy Pilgrimage, he witnessed a tragedy. One of his fellow pilgrims collapsed and died of a heart attack on the arduous 39-day walk through the Himalayas. “He had developed breathing problems on the way, but his medical certificate showed he was totally fit to make the journey,” said 29-year-old Verma, a Hindu. The pilgrimage routes begin in Pahalgam or Baltal in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, with the trek ending at  Shiva’s Cave. This cave houses the Holy Lingam, an ice stalagmite that is believed to symbolize the powers of the Hindu  God Shiva. Reaching it is especially arduous and has resulted in numerous fatalities. And as Verna noted, the death toll keeps rising. Last year, 107 people died on the pilgrimage, compared to 68 in 2010 and 45 in 2009. This year 114 have died since the June 25 start date. Few people doubt that more will perish before the finish next Thursday. The deaths have prompted a shocked Supreme Court in New Delhi to direct the state government to deploy medical teams along the route. Doctors who have investigated some of the deaths say they found many pilgrims were unfit, but had forged their medical certificates. They have attributed many of the deaths to high altitude pulmonary oedema, a condition in which the lungs fill with fluid and cause heart failure when a person climbs above 3,000 meters too quickly. Parvaiz Koul, head of the only specialized hospital in Jammu and Kashmir, said: "many pilgrims start walking without acclimatizing to the altitude, a dangerous move given the ascent very quickly reaches more than 3,600 meters. “To safely negotiate the high altitude gradient, one must acclimatize for at least three to four days." Hypothermia is thought to be another leading cause. “Night temperatures fall below zero at night, which is unbearable,” said Verma. He added that there is a two-kilometer stretch called Ganesh Top where there is less oxygen. “Many of the casualties occur at this place,” he said. To add to the hazards, landslides are commonplace. Yet despite the hardships, more than half a million people make the pilgrimage each year, intent on making it all the way to Shiva's Cave. Once there, at the culmination of their epic and dangerous journey, the pilgrims get just a few seconds to worship the Holy Lingam before they are ushered onwards. “It's a matter of devotion for them,” said Verma.

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