Jharkhand man on Shrikhand Mahadev pilgrimage in Himachal Pradesh dies

A 35-year-old man from Jharkhand has died in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district while on pilgrimage to Shrikhand Mahadev, revered by Hindus as one of the abodes of Lord Shiva.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravindra Negi said the body of Hari Om, a resident of Jamshedpur, was being brought back to the base camp. The exact cause of his death is not yet known, he said.

Considered tougher than the Amarnath pilgrimage, the Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra began this year from the Singhad base camp at 6,000 feet above sea level in the Nirmand block of Kullu district on July 11, officials said.

The pilgrimage ends at 17,150 feet above sea level, while the 'Shiva Lingam' is situated at a height of 18,750 feet.

Given the increasing popularity of the Shrikhand Yatra, the Himachal Government has formed Shrikhand Yatra Trust and the pilgrimage is conducted under the supervision of the Kullu administration.

As several pilgrims lost their lives mainly due to hypothermia in past years, online registration along with a medical fitness certificate has been made mandatory for pilgrims this year, the officials added.

The Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra has resumed after a gap of two years due to the Covid pandemic.

The pilgrimage used to start after July 15 every year. However, this year, the Kullu administration decided to start the pilgrimage on July 11 and it will end on July 24.

The base camps for the pilgrimage have been set up at Singhad, Thachru, Kunsha, Bhimdwari and Parvatibagh. At each camp, the administration has stationed medical, rescue and police teams under a sector magistrate.