Background
Every year, thousands of pilgrims visit Gosainkunda Lake, located at an altitude of 4,380 meters, on a pilgrimage each year. However, many are unprepared for the arduous trek and high altitude location, resulting in illness and even death due to high altitude sickness.
In 2016, Media for Development (MFD), in association with The Wellcome Trust and OUCRU, created a short documentary called “Gosainkunda ko Yatra…Tirthalu Haru ko Katha” to address this issue. The participatory film, made as part of the Mountain Views project, was screened by various stakeholders, including district health officials, district administrators, festival organizers, and potential pilgrims.
In addition to the participatory film made in 2016, the following supporting materials were developed in order to emphasis the dangers of high altitude sickness, its symptoms, and the ways of avoiding the illness.
1 minute Radio Jingle
The radio jingle focused specifically on high-altitude sickness and was played over Bhaktapur FM. It included 150 spots over a five-day period.
The jingle was also played over Langtang FM for a period of 7 days which included 100 spots.
Posters & Banners
The posters announced the name of the film and also carried various messages related to staying safe from high-altitude sickness.
Fliers
MFD printed 5000 fliers that were distributed among bus companies to be kept on buses that ferried passengers to the start of the trek point. Fliers were also handed to various groups who had set up information and medical facility booths along the way.
Indoor
The indoor screening conducted at the Bhaktapur Municipality office premises was attended by the district health officers, perspective pilgrims, a delegation from the festival organising committee, and members of the local newspaper and FM broadcasting station. Approximately 38 people joined the session.
Outdoor Screening at Bhaktapur
Two screenings of the film were conducted near the main temple square in Bhaktapur city. The screening was conducted both by the Himalayan Rescue Association and MFD.
Attendance was estimated to be between 200 to 250 people.
Main Screenings at the base point of Pilgrimage
The film teams were experienced high-altitude guides and knew the Gosainkunda trek well. The festival committee helped by setting up a TV in a tent along the path for pilgrims to watch.
