Vaishno Devi: In Search of Heavenly Salvation

One of the holiest pilgrimage sites in India, Vaishno Devi is dedicated to Goddess Shakti. People from all around the world take the challenging trek from Katra to this holy place to seek the blessings of the Goddess.

About the Temple

The temple of Vaishno Devi is dedicated to Vaishnavi, the human manifestation of Goddess Shakti. Vaishno Devi shrine is unique as it contains holiest of holy Pindis manifesting the Goddess in her three forms which are Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. The combination of these three attributes makes Vaishno Devi one of the most revered places in the world. One of the holiest pilgrimage sites in India, Vaishno Devi is dedicated to Goddess Shakti. People from all around the world take the challenging trek from Katra to this holy place to seek the blessings of the Goddess. 

The Legend

According to legends, a divine child Vaishnavi was born in the household of Ratnakar Sagar. Vaishnavi was the incarnation of Goddess Shakti, born to destroy the demon Mahishasura. At a very young age she acquired great knowledge and became a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. One day, when she was meditating in the jungle, a man named Bhairon Nath started to annoy her. After repeated attempts of trying to keep him away, Vaishnavi finally confronted him and beheaded him outside a cave. After being decapitated, his soul asked for forgiveness and Vaishnavi forgave him. The Goddess blessed Bhairon Nath that every devotee who comes to worship her will also have to visit the temple of Bhairon Nath without which their Vaishno Devi yatra will be incomplete. Vaishnavi then left her human body and took the form of a rock statue and went into meditation.

Location

Nestled in the Trikuta Mountain, Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is situated in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Located at an altitude of 1700m, the cave of Vaishno Devi is 30m long and 1.5m high. Katra, the town at the foot of the Trikuta hills is the base camp for Vaishno Devi yatra.

The Vaishno Devi Yatra

Vaishno Devi shrine is 48 km away from Jammu airport and Jammu Tawi railhead. One can hire a taxi or take a bus to Katra. This is the place where the Vaishno Devi yatra starts. From here the pilgrims have to cover 13 km of terrain on foot to reach the shrine. The entire climb is extremely steep and hard. There are ponies and palanquins available for those who are not able to complete the yatra on foot.  One can also hire helicopter for darshan. Range of accommodation and basic utilities are setup all along the route from Katra to the holy shrine.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the shrine is March to April and September to October. Winters are not a favorable time as the extremely low temperatures make the yatra even more difficult and the route is often blocked by snowfall. 

It is said that one can visit the Vaishno Devi shrine only when the Goddess herself wants you. If you are blessed with this opportunity, make the most of your Vaishno Devi Yatra and get the blessings of the almighty. 

The Legend

According to legends, a divine child Vaishnavi was born in the household of Ratnakar Sagar. Vaishnavi was the incarnation of Goddess Shakti, born to destroy the demon Mahishasura. At a very young age she acquired great knowledge and became a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. One day, when she was meditating in the jungle, a man named Bhairon Nath started to annoy her. After repeated attempts of trying to keep him away, Vaishnavi finally confronted him and beheaded him outside a cave. After being decapitated, his soul asked for forgiveness and Vaishnavi forgave him. The Goddess blessed Bhairon Nath that every devotee who comes to worship her will also have to visit the temple of Bhairon Nath without which their Vaishno Devi yatra will be incomplete. Vaishnavi then left her human body and took the form of a rock statue and went into meditation.

Location

Nestled in the Trikuta Mountain, Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is situated in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Located at an altitude of 1700m, the cave of Vaishno Devi is 30m long and 1.5m high. Katra, the town at the foot of the Trikuta hills is the base camp for Vaishno Devi yatra.