A Journey To The Vaishno Devi Temple

By Author: soni sajjan
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The Vaishno Devi Temple resides in the lap of the Tirkuta hills, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. A female deity, Vaishno Devi, also popularly known as Mata Rani, has a number of devotees all around the world. Located near Katra, a town in the Reasi district, at 5300 feet, the temple is recognized as one of the Shakti Peeths of Durga Maa.

The way to the temple is through a narrow tunnel amidst caves where one can see Charan Ganga, a cold stream. The temple offers amazing scenery and tourists can catch a glimpse of the hills touching the skies, flowing streams and pleasant views of the Himalayas.

After a lengthy walk uphill with the background chants of ‘Jai Mata Di’, devotees will get a view of the three female Goddesses inside the temple - Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati. The temple can be visited all round the year. However, summer is the most preferable season for travelling here, as the temperature falls down to a minimum on the hills.

Vaishno Devi is well connected by different means of transportation - airways, ...
... roadways, and railways. Nearby domestic airports are Satwari Airport at Jammu (39 km), Pathankot Airport (117 km), and Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi (551 km). A Vaishno Devi tour can be planned by reaching Delhi, the capital city of India. From Delhi, Jammu, which is located at a distance of about 55 km, can be easily reached by air, rail, or road.

From Jammu, Katra is accessible by bus or taxi, from where tourists will have the option of reaching the temple either by foot, by trekking, or by renting ponies, palanquins, and porters. Helicopter Booking for Vaishno Devi Temple is available for all those who wish to fly to the temple. The service plies from the foothills of Katra to Sanjhichatt. The scenic view from the helicopter is beyond words. To register, one has to visit the official site of the temple, enter all the details, and make the payment.

Further, the managing trust of the temple even offers accommodation facilities to the devotees or tourists. Tourists can avail the accommodation near the railway station at Jammu and near the bus stand at Katra. The trust has built halls for devotees who are waiting in queues to worship the deities. Such halls are available free of cost and devotees can stay here overnight. The trust has also made available washrooms, food-joints, and caterers as well as medical units to take care of the devotees.