Adi Kailash Yatra 2025: 24-hour medical care

Adi Kailash is a sacred mountain revered as one of the Panch Kailash (five divine abodes of Lord Shiva). It is situated in Jolingkong, within the Pithoragarh district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Not far from Adi Kailash lies another holy mountain in the same district, known as Om Parvat (Parvat means mountain). This mountain is known for its unique rock formation that resembles the sacred symbol ‘Om’ (ॐ) when viewed.

Pilgrims undertaking the yatra (pilgrimage) to Adi Kailash often visit Om Parvat as well. These pilgrims usually stay overnight at Gunji village, situated at an elevation of 3,200 meters. The route splits near this village: one path leads to Adi Kailash, situated 36 kilometers away, and the other to Om Parvat, which is 21 kilometers away. From Gunji, pilgrims often travel to the foothills of Adi Kailash and return the same day. The following day, they visit the base of Om Parvat and similarly return to Gunji later that day.

The entire yatra up to Gunji and then onto the sacred mountains involves traveling along a narrow, steep, and undulating track. Rainfall along the route further exacerbates the situation—it makes the track difficult to traverse and often even leads to roadblocks. To minimize the weather impact, most pilgrims usually undertake the journey during the hottest summer months of May and June. While this period offers the most favorable weather, it still presents challenges. As one progresses along the route, temperatures drop sharply with increasing altitude, with overnight temperatures often touching sub-zero levels. Frequent rainfall, though not as intense, is also common during this period.

Last year, Vishav Manav Ruhani Kendra (VMRK) was grateful to serve the pilgrims at Jolingkong during Adi Kailash Yatra, becoming the first organization to do so. For the 2025 Adi Kailash Yatra, the local administration once again permitted VMRK to provide medical services to pilgrims. The site allocated to VMRK was located on the outskirts of Gunji Village, around 200 meters before the route diverges toward Adi Kailash and Om Parvat. VMRK served pilgrims from May 21 to June 14.

Planning and preparation

Grateful for the opportunity, VMRK promptly initiated preparations at the VMRK center in Nawan Nagar. We formed multiple teams of volunteers, each entrusted with different responsibilities. The first team compiled a list of medically fit doctors, pharmacists, and volunteers capable of serving at high altitudes and in low temperatures. They then prepared a roster for these individuals to serve in batches of 10–15 days. Another team assisted these individuals with the registration process for the yatra.

A separate team helped procure and pack the necessary items for service. Last year’s service taught us that we need sturdier tents to withstand strong winds and heavy downpours. Therefore, this time, VMRK purchased two 12×24-foot Swiss tents for the medical camp and volunteer accommodation. These tents had 18-gauge frames for added sturdiness and heavy-duty PVC fabric to maximize weather resistance. The team also packed the medical supplies and equipment into 50 boxes. Additionally, given the isolation of the allocated site, a diesel generator and a large supply of fuel were arranged to enable the medical equipment to operate without interruption.

On the morning of May 16, VMRK volunteers began loading all the items onto a truck. The work continued until 9 pm, by which time the first batch of 13 medical professionals and volunteers rostered for service had arrived at the center. Before beginning their journey, the team chanted, “Har-Har Mahadev,” as a praise to Lord Shiva. Following this, they left the Nawan Nagar center, accompanied by two cars and a truck.

Arrival and setup

After arriving at Gunji a few days later, our team continued the journey to Jolingkong. There, they had darshan of Adi Kailash and sought Lord Shiva’s blessings for the upcoming service before returning to Gunji village. On the morning of May 21, they began organizing the setup. First, they leveled the area and cleared the ground of rocks. Following this, they began setting up the tents adjacent to the road. Inside the tent for the medical camp, they arranged three tables in the front section for patient consultations, medicine dispensing, and checking patients’ vital signs. The rear end of this tent was turned into a three-bed clinical treatment center. At the reception area outside the medical camp, a table and some chairs were arranged to attend to devotees and share information about VMRK and its charitable initiatives.

24-hour medical services

The medical camp started operating on the early evening of May 21. Banners were strategically placed in both directions along the route to notify arriving and returning pilgrims that the 24-hour medical camp was open for service. VMRK also extended the medical service to pilgrims and locals in nearby areas since the nearest medical facility along the route to Adi Kailash is located 70 kilometers before reaching Gunji. Our volunteers contacted the local administration and requested them to notify the surrounding villages about the camp.

Adi Kailash and Om Parvat are both situated at high altitudes. Due to the thin air at these elevations, a large number of patients visited the camp with symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and breathlessness. Many of them had concerningly low oxygen levels in their blood. In such cases, the medical team used oxygen concentrators and cylinders at the camp to provide immediate assistance. The medical team also distributed disposable oxygen cylinders to the pilgrims who requested them as a precaution before continuing their yatra.

The cold weather conditions, frequent rainfall, and even snowfall near the holy mountains also affected the health of a large number of pilgrims. They visited the camps with symptoms of cold, cough, and, in severe cases, hypothermia. Additionally, due to the mountainous route, many suffered from motion sickness. The medical staff offered free consultations and medicines to all.

On June 14, after serving the pilgrims for 25 days, VMRK concluded its services. Throughout the duration, VMRK offered round-the-clock free medical services to more than 1,690 pilgrims, amongst them more than 120 patients received medical attention at the clinical treatment center.