Katra, Oct 01: Over 1.70 lakh devotees paid obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi temple during Navratri, with chants of ‘Jai Mata Di’ and bhajans echoing throughout Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi.
Navratri, being observed from September 22 till Wednesday, is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. It holds special significance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, which records one of its highest pilgrim visits during this period.
Officials said that the footfall of pilgrims is increasing with every passing day.
“Over 1.70 lakh pilgrims have visited the cave shrine. The yatra is going on smoothly. There is an increase in the footfall of pilgrims with each passing day,” Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board chief executive officer Sachin Kumar Vaishya told reporters at the shrine complex.
He made a fervent request to the pilgrims to arrive at the temple in large numbers and pay their obeisance.
Enthusiastic pilgrims chanting slogans of Jai Mata Di and devotional songs trekked the serpentine path to Bhawan, the abode of Mata Vaishno Devi temple, from Katra amid tight security.
“We came here for the divine darshan. Today, being Navami, is an especially sacred and auspicious day. I believe every person should visit Vaishno Devi at least once in their lifetime. It is a truly beautiful place that draws countless devotees filled with faith,” Suresh Kumar of Ujjain said.
Kumar, who is part of a 12-member group, said that despite the flooding in the river Tawi and huge devastation in the Jammu region, they did not cancel their railway tickets but made it a point to visit Mata at all costs. “It was a call from Mata to bless us,” he said.
Katra, the twin routes, and Bhawan, dazzling with lights and flower-decked decorations, resonate with spiritual fervour and traditional gaiety ever since the nine-day-long festival of Shardiya Navratri began on September 22 amid multi-tier security.
Veena Rai of Karnataka said that despite cancelling tickets twice, she is at the lotus feet of Mata, where she paid obeisance and sought her blessings.
“Every year during Durga Puja and Navratri, I visit here. I observe a fast and perform darshan with my family. We cancelled tickets twice due to climatic conditions and train traffic disruptions. But it was a call of Mata that we are again here for the seventh consecutive year during Navratri,” she added.
Vaishya said elaborate arrangements have been made by the Shrine Board for Shardiya Navratri to ensure a comfortable yatra for devotees.
The Board has deployed volunteers to guide pilgrims, manage the anticipated rush and ensure smooth movement along the 13-km yatra route, the official said.
This year, the Shrine Board has introduced wireless communication sets to enhance coordination and communication along the yatra route. A multi-tier security grid involving the police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), other paramilitary forces and quick-response teams (QRTs) is in place throughout the festival, the official said.
The pilgrimage to the revered shrine resumed on September 17, after being suspended for 22 days due to a devastating landslide along the track caused by torrential rains on August 26, which resulted in the death of 34 people and injuries to 20 others.
Hundreds of devotees thronged the Mata Kali temple, popularly known as Bawe Wali Mata, at Bahu Fort in Jammu city since morning to pay their obeisance, amid elaborate security arrangements on the occasion of Maha Navami.
Chanting slogans in praise of the Goddess, pilgrims patiently stood in long queues throughout the day, braving the scorching heat.
Dressed in vibrant traditional attire, large numbers of devotees also visited the Tawi and Chenab rivers, as well as local canals, to immerse the sacred ‘saakh’.
At the banks of the Tawi river, devotees performed the ritual of Saakh Visarjan with deep reverence. This age-old tradition, observed on the auspicious day of Navami, reflects the region’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage.
