When you are onto a trip, be it of any sorts, the two important things you ought to own are definitely cash and a car. If we sum up the travelogues of most of the travellers, especially pilgrims, these are the ones that really stand out. But what if both aren’t available? They can be a huge spoiler to your trip. Especially if you are moving to a religious journey. Because interestingly, all the pilgrimage centres of mass interests are located in difficult and out of the reach locations. They usually require more of cash and car to reach that point.
So if you have heard about the recent and ongoing chardham yatra or are planning for the same, so make sure that you have enough time and alternatives for the two above mentioned things. According to recent reports and data this year has seen record-breaking number of pilgrims visiting the chardham – Badrinath, kedarnath, yamunotri and Gangotri. There are so many effects of this rise. But the most striking effect has been on the petrol pumps and atms of the region. This shows that even now people haven’t accepted the digital transactions to the fullest.
Well, pictures in the media, various updates on social media are a testimony to the irritable condition for the pilgrims visiting the places of chardham. They are due to the unavailability of cash in the atms and the repeated and long queues at the petrol pumps. This also might be the case when more and more people are gaining access to the partly developed roads of the chardham highway project initiated by government of India.
Apart from the rise of pilgrims, there is sluggish movement on roads due to long jams. This means more fuel wastage than usage. Added to that is the terrain that the four Himalayan region tourist spots hold. Although there are reports, meeting by the officials on this matter, confirming better facilities now on, yet tourists are facing difficulties. The natural factors come up with their own set of challenges. The narrow roads, their serpentine structures are often cited to be one of the supplementary reasons.
The hope lies in the preparations made by the authorities in light of the glaring difficulties and peak visiting season by the pilgrims. Hope the faith of the devotees lets them visit the temples inspite of all the odds.