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Vaishnavdevi shrine is located in the
Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir. A small town Katra is the way and means
for reaching out to the temple. The town is located in a high altitude and in
the hilly region of lower Himalayas in the Trikuta range . Similarly, the case
with the shrine of Vaishnavdevi, situated
about 61 kms from Jammu, in the an altitude of about 5,200 feet over the
sea level. The exact location of the site up hill is around 14 kms from the
Katra town . On reaching out here, the experience is totally a different.
Enchanting view of the different valleys, filled with lush green trees, humming
sounds of the bees and chirping sounds of the birds, echoes of the devotees
"Jai mata ki"," Jai mata di", Jai Jai maiya and so on, all along the path
and water falls with their silvery brightness is not a thing to miss. All that
is worth seeing and admiring far away from the madding crowd, unending sounds
of the modern machines and vehicles. To reach on to the top of the hill one has
to climb up by any of the routes available there. Devotees from all over
India and abroad comes here to have a 'Darshan'
of the Goddess presiding in the hills. Pilgrims in the earlier day’s used
to begin their journey during the days of 'Navaratri' ( a special
night in September) and continuing for 3 months consecutively.
During these three months at Katra, Vaishnavdevi
and other temples hosts many wonderful programs dedicated to the
Goddess. The 'Homos' and 'Yagnas' (rituals)celebrated by the
devotees and pilgrims. There is an un-disputed belief about the
Holy Places or Teerthasthal that they provide the much needed relief,
peace and happiness to the visitor who came under the refuge of Mother Goddess
from the daily hustles of life. Before going for the
Darshan of Goddess one has to bathe in variably. There are various
bathing places made for the same purpose. There is also arrangements at ‘Charanganga’
which comes out of the holy cave. People can use this water for bathing. Then
after the pilgrims sit down as per the serial number on the given slip and wait
for their turn to have a Darshan of
Goddess. It is to be noted that the pilgrims are not allowed to carry any sort
of leather items, cigarettes or any other intoxicants while visiting the holy
shrine. In the main entrance of the cave, there is a huge stone lying which is
called Bhairav’s body.
There is a continuous water flow from this cave. One will not be in a position
to stand erect anywhere inside the cave. In fact no body can under stand
the intricacy of the shape of the cave, shrine and the rest of the things in
the Vaishnavdevi. One who is really bestowed
with the grace of the Goddess for her Darshan only
can understand this metaphysical phenomenon. Here in the cave of the
hills Goddess Vaishnavdevi is presiding deity
in Her earthly abode in the forms of Mahalakshmi,
Mashasaraswati and
Mahakali. Some people says that out of the three presiding
deities, the prominent incarnation is Goddess Vaishnavdevi.
Speaking about the cave, the space would be sufficient for 3-4 people. Seated
here in the very place Pundit takes the offerings of the devotees to the
Goddess and gives out ‘Prasad’ to the devotees. After taking a
Darshan people have to come out though the new exit, which is made a
few years ago for the convenience of the pilgrims by the Shrine Board.
After coming out of the temple people worship young girls and serve them Puri
and Halwah( prasad ). After visiting Goddess Vaishnavdevi,
people start their return journey towards Katra
with Darshan of Bhairavnath where their
pilgrimage ends at.
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