KATRA/JAMMU, Oct 11: The holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district witnessed a heavy influx of devotees as the nine-day Navratri festival commenced on Sunday amid religious chants and an atmosphere of spiritual fervour.
Despite inclement weather, pilgrims continued to arrive in large numbers to seek the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi, an official said. However, helicopter services remained suspended for the day due to adverse weather conditions.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board put special arrangements in place to ensure the safety of pilgrims and facilitate the smooth movement of devotees along the pilgrimage route, the official said.
Devotees expressed satisfaction with the arrangements, particularly the floral decorations at the shrine and measures taken to manage the crowds.
Pankaj Kumar, a devotee from Bihar, said he had been visiting the shrine on the first day of Navratri for the past eight consecutive years and felt spiritually fulfilled after every visit. He appreciated the arrangements, noting that despite the large number of pilgrims, devotees were not facing any major inconvenience.
Puja, a resident of Delhi who was visiting the shrine during Navratri for the first time, described the experience as “divine” and praised the Shrine Board for involving local artists in decorating the Bhawan.
She said such initiatives would help promote local art and provide artists with an opportunity to reach a wider audience.
Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Udhampur-Reasi Range) Shiv Kumar Sharma conducted a joint security review in Katra along with the Army and Central Armed Police Forces to assess preparedness for the expected influx of pilgrims.
The DIG directed officers to maintain heightened alertness, intensify patrolling, strengthen coordination among security agencies and ensure the regulated movement of devotees.
The Navratra festival will be formally inaugurated at 7:30 pm on Sunday at Yog Ashram Ground in Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine. The celebrations will conclude on October 19.
Cultural programmes, accompanied by a multimedia exhibition, will be held daily from 8:30 pm at Government Higher Secondary School, Katra. The venue will also host a one-day Hasya Vyang programme and a Kavi Sammelan.
From the second day of Navratri, a Shobha Yatra featuring 15 illuminated tableaux will be taken out daily from Asia Chowk at 5:30 pm.
A wrestling competition is scheduled for October 18 at the Sports Stadium in Katra, while a Mata Ka Jagran, an all-night devotional programme, will be held at Raghunath Mandir Chowk in Jammu, the official said.
