Vaishno Devi Temple - One Cannot Possibly have Darshan/Visit of Mata, Unless she herself calls the Devotees
Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta and
Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess Mahalakshmi. Vaishno Devi Mandir is
a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu Goddess, located at the Trikuta Mountains
within the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. More than 10 million pilgrims
visit this shrine every year.
It
is believed that at some point of time each one of these 33 koti (type) deities
have worshipped Goddess Vaishno Mata, and left their symbolic marks inside. It
is also believed that during the pooja and Aarti, these Gods and Goddesses
arrive at the Holy cave to pay their obeisance to Mata. Hindus believe that one
cannot possibly have Darshan of Mata, unless she herself calls the devotees.
‘Chalo
bulawa aya hai, Mata ne bulaya hai’. Meaning ‘Let us go to Vaishno Devi as Mata
has beckoned us to come for darshan and blessings’.
The
town of Katra in Jammu and Kashmir is the base point of the 13 km trek to the
Holy Cave, where an elaborate Bhawan exists taking care of every possible need
of the devotee. The trek from the Banganga check post in Katra to Mata’s Bhawan
is an arduous 13 km long one. The Bhawan is open for darshan 365 days and the
Shrine Board, the governing body of the Bhawan has made it possible to do the
trek 24 by 7.
The
trek is divided into two parts. The first part of the trek up to Adkuwari is
roughly half way at a distance of 7 km from Banganga starting check post. At
Adkuwari the road to the Bhawan bifurcates into two. One road goes via Adkuwari
while the second one goes via Himkoti.
One can cover the trek by four different
methods:
1. By Helicopter - Book 60 days in
advance through the official website of Shrine Board
2. By foot - get a "travel
slip" from Shrine Board Office at Katra Bus Stand. Trek of 13 km can be
completed in about 5 to 8 hours.
3. By horses – The horses are allowed on
the Adkuwari trial.
4. By Palki – human palanquin
On
reaching the Bhawan one can take a bath at the bathing ghats. Having done so,
one needs to deposit all luggage, mobile phones, cameras and leather items in
lockers provided by the Shrine Board. Also it is here that a group is provided
a number for darshan on showing the "travel slip". Devotees enter
through Gate No 3.
The
Bhawan provides accommodation for the devotees to stay overnight at the Bhawan.
The booking for this needs to be done online, well in advance. The Bhawan is
buzzing with activity at any given time of the day. Devotees irrespective of
their class arrive at the Bhawan to receive blessings of Vaishno Mata.
On
most days, the queue leading up to the Holy cave keeps moving. Moreover, the
whole Bhawan reverberates with the devotees chanting, “Jai Mata Di” and one
totally becomes unaware of the fatigue of the long trek.
The
Shrine board has taken immense care to provide all amenities for a comfortable
darshan of the devotees. So you will find shops, restaurants,
PCOs, Cloak rooms, Prashad shops and police posts.
"BHAINT"
The Prasad offered by the devotees to Mata is called BHAINT. There are several shops
at Bhawan selling Bhaints. These can also be bought from the office of the
Shrine board packed neatly in Eco friendly jute bags, with the logo of the
Shrine Board, a souvenir in itself. A typical Bhaint comprises prasad, fuliyan,
chunri, mouli, coconut, pooja samagri including itra, bangles and sindoor.
Outside
the exit tunnel and just beyond the Amrit Kund lies the PRASAD counter. The
blessings of the Mother Goddess in the form of Prasad pouches are handed over
to the devotees by the temple priests. Each Prasad pouch comprises the Mishri
Prasad plus a blessed coin, carrying the image of Holy Pindies. In addition,
Khazana (coins) are given to the devotees. It is believed to be a good luck
coins(s) and devotees would do well to keep it in their cash boxes, temples or
other important places in their homes or establishments. it is not only a
belief but a fact that the Khazana Prasad wherever kept, has brought in
prosperity and luck.
These
are readily available at the souvenir shops run by the shrine Board at Katra,
Adkuwari, Sanjichhat and Bhawan. Gold and Silver coins of the Holy goddess are
also available.
Shri
Mata Vaishno Devi Ji is considered to be an incarnation of the three Supreme
Energies. Inside the Holy Cave there are in the form of natural three rock
formations called Pindies. These three heads in a natural rock form are known
as the Holy Pindies and are worshipped as the revelation of the Mother Goddess.
Towards the right of the devotee is the Holy pindi of Mata Kali (the supreme
energy of dissolution) in the color of Black. Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata
Rani, Trikuta and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess
Mahalakshmi. In the centre is the Holy Pindi of Mata Lakshmi (the supreme
energy of maintenance) in the color of Yellowish-red. In the extreme left of
the viewer is whorshipped as the Holy Pindi of Mata Saraswati (the supreme
energy of creation & knowledge) in the color of white. Vaishno Devi is the
most widely visited shrine in North India and the second most visited shrine in
the country after Tirupati Balaji.
Visit to Vaishno Devi's temple is not considered completed until the visitor
goes to Bhairav Nath Temple. Because of not visited Bhairav Nath Temple, I again visited after two years. Bhairav Nath Temple is the place, according to the myths,
where the head of mythological villain fell after it was taken off by Maa Vaishno. Although, Bhairav Nath Temple is just 5 km above Vaishno Devi's Temple it is
very hard to be there because of the crooked and haphazard road.
Katra By Air : Jammu Airport is also known as Satwari Airport which is located just about 48 kilometers away. It is the nearest airfield that can be accessed to reach Katra by air. Some of the major airlines operational at the Jammu Airport include Air India, IndiGo, GoAir, SpiceJet, JetKonnect and many others. Jammu Airport is connected to Delhi, Leh, Srinagar, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmadabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa and others. Nearest Airport :
Address:
Vaishno Devi
Katra, Jammu and Kashmir
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