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J&K used to be the center of attraction for the
people around the country and also visited by thousands of foreign visitors
across the globe. the state has attained out standing development in tourism by
the virtue of its appealling natural beauty which is enough to charm the
visitor. Vaishnavdevi is the eminent
pilgrimage of the state visited by millions of devotees and visitors all
coming from world wide. But the visitors has been hindered by adversities as a
result of the draw back of the place being situated in the boarder of country
where terrorism, and anti- personal activities has been a great threat to the
life of the pilgrims and tourists as well. Thus the Vaishnavdevi
Yatra was going on for many years down the centuries. But suddenly the
country got divided in to two parts. In fact, pilgrims used to be more from
Punjab than from any other parts of the country. The political situation and
the division of the country affected the pilgrimage of the Vaishnavdevi very
much and pilgrim’s number declined gradually thereafter. By the passage of
time, with the change in the situation, the momentum picked up and the
pilgrimage renewed by the devotees thronging from all parts of the country.
With an increased number of road, rail and airways, the Jammu having linked
with major places in the country, the number of devotees visiting the shrine
has multiplied in many folds. Now, only a handful of people is giving
importance for the Yagnas and Homas of the past, which were conducted on the
shrine but the devotees are at least paying their homage to the Goddess in
large numbers. Due to a heavy in flow of devotees, the Yatra is continued round
the clock- forgetting the nights’ rest of the earlier days. With many fold
increase in the number of pilgrims, unending queues, the pilgrims are sent out
within no time. They hardly get a glimpse of Goddess and are pushed out so that
the other devotees in queue also get a chance to take Darshan.
With all adversaries, change in situations, modern amenities, conveyance
facilities, resting-places, tourists homes and guesthouses, restaurants and
mainly the improved economic situation are the main reasons for, the
innumerable crowds to visit this hill shrine. Yet there is another popular
belief of the people that whoever approached this Goddess with love and
reverence and begged for any boon, they have been bestowed with the same.
Goddess Vaishnodevi is believed to be the bestower of wealth, bravery, health,
and wisdom to her devotees and also annihilate internal and external fears.
This staunch belief of the devotees makes them to throng to this hill shrine
from allover the country throughout the season. Still the tourism in full
fledge in the region, hospitality has also achieved its part and hoteliers and
caterers are in boom, many guest houses, hotels and
restaurants has been set up thereat since last two decades.
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