Rituals For Pilgrimage Tour Of Vaishno Devi

By Author: Noshir Lavangia
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Vaishno Devi, the Goddess Shakti is also known as ‘Mata Rani’, ‘Vaishudevi’ or ‘Vaishanavi Devi’. This is one of the most visited pilgrimage tours in India as the goddess is considered mother of all mankind. Located at an altitude of 5200 feet, with the nearest town being Katra, this region has the nearest airport and railway station. The most common faith among the Hindus is that you cannot book a Vaishno Devi tour package unless you get ‘Maataka Bulawa’. The devotees believe that destined and worthy visitors would get a true calling from the goddess herself. The biggest ritual for Vaishno Devi tour is to understand and follow this calling religiously.

Most devotees are expected to immerse themselves in Vaishno Devi’s blessings by singing about the goddess while completing this relatively challenging journey. Traditionally, devotees are expected to walk up the distance between Katra to temple. However, with due consideration to devotees, there are other modes of transportation available such as ponies, palki, helicopters and electric vans. However, till date, most devotes prefer to walk up the distance ...
... as a part of the journey. Pregnant women and senior citizens are advised to opt for more comfortable mode of travel as the journey is uphill and challenging.

However, as ‘pad yatra’ i.e. walking up the steps from the base is an important ritual, most travellers will be seen hiking their way. Though, it could be seen as challenging and unnecessary, it is important display of their devotion to fulfil this challenging journey completely.

The first ritual on arrival at the temple of goddess Shakti is to take darshan. You must visit the temple, fold your arms and pray to the goddess wholeheartedly. Though, this ritual includes application of the sacred Kumkum, the most important aspect of the ritual is a wholehearted prayer. In olden times, this prayer was supposed to be said in form of shlokas. However, with changing times, there is not sufficient time for the devotees to complete this ritual.

One of the most important rituals in the Vaishno Devi temple is the aarti. This devotional prayer is recited in the morning and evening. The local priests, called ‘pujaris’, conduct this ceremony twice a day.

Several devotees believe that completing a ritual such as Yagya and homas is important. However, with the heavy inflow of tourists, it is unlikely that there is enough time for the pundits to complete these procedures. In addition, there is a strong belief in charity to poor during Katra- Vaishno Devi temple journey and after the darshan. The select few donate food and woollen clothes to poor and needy people. A genuine dedication to the Devi and willingness to give are the most important aspects of Vaishno Devi trip.

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Ninad Chaudhari works as a Web UI Designer / Developer with Cox & Kings. Ninad is an ardent photographer and loves to go on pilgrimage tours in India. He recently travelled to Vaishnodevi on tour package from Cox and Kings and his albums are replete with pictures of this tour.