Joshimath, also known as Jyotirmath, is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in Uttarakhand. Located at a height of 6150 feet, it is a gateway to several Himalayan mountain climbing expeditions, trekking trails and pilgrim centres like Badrinath. It is home to one of the four cardinal pīthas established by Adi Shankara.
Since 7 February 2021, the area was severely affected by the 2021 Uttarakhand flood and its aftermath. The town is confirmed to be sinking due to its geographic location being along a running ridge. Structures around the town developed cracks and town people had to be evacuated.
While scientists are still trying to find the reasons why Joshimath is sinking, experts have come up with various reasons behind the strange phenomenon. The three principal factors are Joshimath’s vulnerable foundations as it was developed on the debris of a landslide triggered by an earthquake more than a century ago.
“Its location in seismic zone V which is more prone to earthquakes besides gradual weathering and water percolation which reduce the cohesive strength of the rocks over time,” said the director of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology Kalachand Sain.
As Joshimath is the gateway to Badrinath, hotels and restaurants have mushroomed everywhere. The pressure of population and the size of the crowd of tourists has also increased manifold,” he says. Many houses in the town are unlikely to survive and people living in them must be shifted to safe locations as life is precious,” he warns.
While the real reason behind the mystery continues what people are afraid of is that if Joshimath would become mere memories for generations to come. The sinking of the the holy land by the very touch of the feet of Adi Shankaracharya is pain to those who love India’s heritage.
Discussion about this post