Significance:
Devotees aver that the revered Mata calls out to her followers, and
only then can one go to her sublime shrine. An arduous journey up the
Trikuta Mountain range and the final darshan (audience) of the Goddess
leaves one with staunch faith in Her. It is believed that one can ask
the great Mother of any needful thing and promise to visit her when the
wish is fulfilled. Lakhs of people vouch for the deity's graciousness
and visit the shrine in the form of thanksgiving.
Ideal Time For Visit:
Although the Vaishno Devi shrine can be visited throughout the year,
the pilgrimage is generally undertaken by the devotees in the severe
cold months of the year, i.e., from October to February. During the
festival of Navaratri, thousands of diehard followers from all over the
country and even abroad line up the long mountain roads to worship the
deity. Navaratri is the biggest festival in honor of the Goddess and
people have to stand in lines for hours to have the darshan.
Transport:
» Airway : Nearest airport - Jammu (48 km from Katra) Daily
Flights are available from
Delhi and
Srinagar. These flights (Indian Airlines) connect Chandigarh &
Amritsar on some days of the week.
» Railway : Nearest Railway Station - Jammu By
train, Jammu is directly connected
cities like Calcutta, Delhi and Kanyakumari. Besides, it is connected
with other major cities of the country.
» Roadways : Jammu is the terminus of a large number of
Inter State Bus Services.
