Mangaluru: A 53-year-old man from Kumpala in Dakshina Kannada died after suffering a massive heart attack while on a Char Dham pilgrimage in Uttarakhand, according to a report published on September 23.
The deceased has been identified as Rajesh Poojary, a resident of Kumpala Vidyanagar. He was part of a 15-member pilgrimage group from the Thokkottu area that had travelled to northern India to visit the major Hindu pilgrimage destinations of Haridwar, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.
Rajesh collapses after temple darshan
The pilgrimage group began its journey on September 18. After visiting Haridwar, the pilgrims proceeded towards Yamunotri, one of the four prominent destinations associated with the Char Dham pilgrimage.
According to information available from the family and sources cited in the report, Rajesh had completed his darshan at the Yamunotri temple. He was resting in the outer premises of the temple when he suddenly collapsed.
Despite the circumstances, he could not be revived and was declared dead at the spot. The cause of death was reported as a massive heart attack.
The incident left the other members of the pilgrimage group stranded in Uttarakhand as arrangements had to be made to transport Rajesh’s mortal remains back to his hometown in Dakshina Kannada.
Assistance arranged to bring mortal remains to Mangaluru
Following the incident, efforts were made to facilitate the return of Rajesh’s mortal remains to Mangaluru.
Dakshina Kannada district BJP president Satish Kumpala extended assistance to the family and the pilgrims. He contacted Kedar Singh Rawat, former MLA of the Yamunotri Assembly constituency in Uttarakhand, seeking help with the necessary arrangements.
According to the report, Rawat assisted in shifting Rajesh’s body to a hospital in Dehradun. Arrangements were subsequently facilitated to airlift the mortal remains from Uttarakhand to Mangaluru.
The assistance helped the family and members of the pilgrimage group navigate the arrangements required following the unexpected death during the pilgrimage.
Rajesh worked at Netravati Garage in Jeppu
Rajesh Poojary was associated with Netravati Garage in Jeppu, which is owned by his brother. He was known to his family and local community in Kumpala and had travelled to Uttarakhand as part of the pilgrimage group from the Thokkottu area.
He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son.
The sudden death during the pilgrimage has brought the journey to an unexpected and tragic end for the family and fellow pilgrims who had travelled together from the coastal Karnataka region.
Char Dham pilgrimage group had begun journey on September 18
The 15-member group from Thokkottu had set out on September 18 with plans to visit the major pilgrimage centres of northern India. The itinerary included Haridwar, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.
The Char Dham circuit in Uttarakhand attracts pilgrims from across India, with devotees travelling through mountainous terrain to reach the four major shrines. Yamunotri, dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, is one of the four sites in the traditional Char Dham circuit of Uttarakhand.
For the group from Dakshina Kannada, the pilgrimage was interrupted by Rajesh’s sudden death at Yamunotri after he had completed his temple visit.
The arrangements that followed focused on ensuring that his mortal remains could be transported from Uttarakhand to his hometown in Mangaluru.
Family awaits final rites in hometown
With arrangements made for the transportation of the mortal remains, Rajesh’s family members and relatives were preparing for his return to Dakshina Kannada.
His death has also highlighted the difficulties that families can face when a medical emergency or death occurs during a pilgrimage far from home. Coordinating transportation from a remote pilgrimage destination requires assistance from local authorities and people familiar with the region.
In this case, the intervention of local contacts in Uttarakhand helped the stranded pilgrims arrange transportation of the body to Dehradun before the airlifting process to Mangaluru.
Rajesh’s death has brought grief to his family in Kumpala, while members of the pilgrimage group are also dealing with the loss of a fellow traveller during what had begun as a religious journey.
Conclusion
The sudden death of 53-year-old Rajesh Poojary during the Char Dham pilgrimage has cast a pall of grief over his family and fellow pilgrims from the Thokkottu area. After completing his darshan at Yamunotri, he reportedly collapsed while resting outside the temple premises. Efforts were subsequently made to transport his mortal remains from Uttarakhand to Mangaluru, enabling his family to complete the final rites in his hometown.