Over 2.53 Lakh Pilgrims Visit Mata Vaishno Devi During First Six Days of Navratri

Jammu, October 17 : More than 2.53 lakh devotees have paid obeisance at the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi in the Trikuta hills of Reasi district during the first six days of Sharadiya Navratri, which commenced on October 11.
According to official figures, the pilgrimage has been progressing smoothly, with 2,53,157 devotees visiting the shrine between October 11 and October 15. Additionally, 28,713 pilgrims had completed their darshan by 3 PM on October 16.
The daily footfall remained high throughout the festival. A total of 47,574 pilgrims visited the shrine on October 11, followed by 48,400 on October 12, 46,558 on October 13, 41,961 on October 14 and 39,951 on October 15.
Comedian Kapil Sharma also visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Darbar in Katra during the ongoing Navratri festivities.
Heavy footfall was witnessed at the RFID registration counters in Katra, where devotees queued up to collect their registration cards before proceeding towards the holy cave for darshan.
Devotees expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Several pilgrims described their visit as a spiritually fulfilling experience and praised the facilities provided for the yatra.
Meanwhile, the nine-day Shat Chandi Maha Yagya entered its sixth day at the Yagyashala within the shrine complex. Special prayers and Vedic rituals were performed in honour of Mata Brahmacharini. The religious ceremony will conclude with Purnahuti on Mahanavami.
The Shrine Board said the yagya is being telecast live daily from 12 noon to 2 PM on Shraddha MH One channel throughout Navratri.
As part of the celebrations, the shrine, pilgrimage track and Katra town have been decorated with flowers, fruits, decorative gates and illuminated installations. Devotional bhajans and bhaints are also being performed during the morning and evening Atka Aarti.
To ensure a safe and convenient pilgrimage, security has been strengthened across the shrine area and along the yatra route. The Shrine Board has also arranged accommodation, drinking water, sanitation, medical assistance, transportation and crowd management facilities.
Special provisions have been made for differently abled devotees, including free pony and battery-car services, priority darshan and dedicated help desks.
Medical teams and emergency response personnel have been deployed at key locations along the pilgrimage route to assist devotees and respond to any emergencies.
With Navratri celebrations continuing, the shrine is witnessing a festive atmosphere as thousands of devotees arrive to seek the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi.