Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine

Getting there

• By air

  Jammu airport is the nearest. Katra is about 50 km away, 70 to 80 minutes by taxi.

• By train

  Trains run from Jammu to Katra via Udhampur. Jammu Tawi station also has buses and taxis to Katra.

• By road

  Buses leave Jammu for Katra every 10 to 15 minutes and take about 2 hours. Drivers can bypass Jammu from Kunjwani.

Rules to know

• Register for a free RFID Yatra Access Card at the counter near Katra bus stand or online; nobody may trek without one.
• Cross the Banganga check post within 6 hours of getting the card, or it will be taken back.
• Do not carry heavy luggage, flammable substances or sharp objects on the trek.
• Use only the marked tracks, and do not trek alone at night or in bad weather.
• Elderly pilgrims, children and anyone with a medical condition should see a doctor before the yatra.

Why devotees come here

Mata Vaishno Devi resides in a Holy Cave on the three-peaked Trikuta mountain, about 12 km uphill from Katra in Jammu and Kashmir. Darshan is of three natural rock forms, the Holy Pindies, and is open round the clock through the year. Every pilgrim must first get a free RFID yatra card.

The Holy Cave sits in the folds of Trikuta, a mountain that is one at the base and splits into three peaks. Inside, the Devi appears the same way: as one rock that rises into three heads, the Holy Pindies. There are no statues or idols in the cave. Devotees see the Pindies as Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati.

The best known story is of Pandit Shridhar, a poor devotee of village Hansali near today's Katra. The Devi came to him in the form of a young girl and helped him feed a whole village at a bhandara. When Bhairon Nath pursued her, she left, and Shridhar gave up food and water in grief. She then showed him the way to the cave in a dream. The Shrine Board says he found it about 700 years ago and spent the rest of his life in her service.

Since 1986 the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has managed the shrine and the yatra.

Festivals

• March or AprilChaitra Navratri

  One of the busiest times of the year, with very long waits.

• September or OctoberShardiya Navratri

  Nine days of worship of the Devi, with peak crowds.

Tips for your visit

• Pick monsoon or winter for a shorter wait; days under about 15,000 to 18,000 pilgrims are comfortable.
• Ponies, palkis and pithus are registered with the municipal committee; check the ID card and pay only the fixed rate.
• Helicopter and battery car services help those who cannot walk the whole way; book through the Shrine Board.
• Carry light woollens even in summer; blankets are given free at the Bhawan.
• The ropeway from the Bhawan to Bhairon temple runs from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Questions people ask