Vaishno Devi Travel Guide

“Chalo bulawa aya hai, Mata ne bulaya hai”
Meaning “let us go, the call from the Goddess has come.”

Have you ever witnessed God? Or felt the holy presence? Do you have an impossible wish, which is difficult to implement? If yes, you must understand the essence of the above written lines.

Every Indian has heard, sung and learnt this popular hymn. And why shouldn’t one? Vaishno Devi, a world famous religious shrine in Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, is perched on Trikuta Hills.  Located 13km from Katra, the shrine is also called as Vaishnavi, Trikuta Bhagwati or Mata Rani. This religious pilgrimage destination attracts millions of pilgrims every year.

Indulge in Vaishno Devi Travel to worship Mother Goddesses - Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi and Mahakali. The cave shrine is 30m long and the pilgrims have to enter in really small groups, walk through a narrow opening inundated with ice-cold water to reach the holy shrine.

Revered as one of the 108 Shakti Peethas in India, you must scan the best features of Vaishno Devi Travel Guide to make most of your pilgrimage. No photos or statues are located within the shrine.
Do not miss to visit the shrine of Bhairon Nath while returning from Vaishno Devi Shrine, located 2.5 km away.

Following are the main travel attractions of Vaishno Devi:

Vaishno Devi Temple
This is one of the most religious pilgrimage destinations for Hindus, sitting atop a height of 5,200 feet. Built as a cave temple, it is dedicated to Goddess Shakti (Durga) in the form of three natural rock formations, called the Pindis, representing three goddesses namely Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati, placed at a height of 91 feet inside the cave. The temple sits on Trikuta which is a three-peaked mountain. Presumably, the temple is nearly a million years old. On the entrance of the cave, there is a rock symbolisation of Lord Ganesha.

Ardhkuwari Temple
Falling half way towards Vaishno Devi Shrine, this temple has a rich mythological history. It is believed that Goddess Durga hid herself from the demon Bhairon Nath for nine months in this cave. The temple is located within a15 foot long cave, called Garbh Joon.

Bhairon Nath Temple
Dedicated to Bhairon Nath, the saint turned demon, this temple is the last point of the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage. Mythologically during his last days, Bhairon Nath regretted for his profane acts and prayed for forgiveness from Goddess. The temple is situated on a hill, accessible from Ardhkuwari Temple.

Excursions from Vaishno Devi
Patnitop (82km) and Srinagar (265km) are some of the nearby destinations to explore as you indulge in a trip to Vaishno Devi.

Shopping in Vaishno Devi
Travellers can buy coins, books and lockets enshrined with the picture of Goddess Vaishno Devi from here.

When to Reach
The ideal time to take the trip is during March till July as the weather is cool and misty. Navratri Festival (September-October) is also a sought after time to visit.

How to Reach
Air: Located at a distance of 50km, the Jammu airport is nearest to Katra and is well-connected to other major airports in India.
Rail: Udhampur Railway Station is the nearest railhead to Katra from where one can take a cab or taxi to the destination.
Road: Katra is the last destination till where the buses go. Rest of the journey is travelled on foot.

So indulge into the divine and spiritual India. Travel to Vaishno Devi and experience the difference.