KATRA, Mar 21: The pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi was temporarily suspended on Saturday evening due to an overwhelming rush at the Bhawan, as around 39,000 devotees offered prayers at the shrine by late afternoon, officials said. The suspension was announced after the shrine base camp at Bhawan became crowded, prompting authorities to cap footfall to ensure safety and manage the flow of pilgrims.
The rush has intensified because of the ongoing Chaitra Navratri, which began on March 19 and will continue till March 27. The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has said it is expecting a large influx of pilgrims from across the country during this nine‑day period. “The yatra has been suspended temporarily due to heavy rush at Bhawan,” a shrine board official said, adding that fresh registration would resume at 4 am on Sunday.
Police vehicles made public announcements telling devotees that the yatra was off for the time being and urging them to return to their hotels or resting places in and around Katra until the next round of pilgrim entries. More than 10,000 registered pilgrims were still en route to the shrine when the suspension was imposed, officials added, and the remaining footfall was gradually being managed through staggered access and enhanced security deployment.
On Saturday, over 39,000 devotees visited the holy town of Katra in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir and made their way up the Trikuta hills to the Vaishno Devi cave temple. The third day of Navratri saw hundreds of pilgrims, many chanting “Jai Mata Di”, trekking along the well‑marked pathway to seek the goddess’s blessings.
Authorities have put in place multi‑tier security arrangements at the Katra base camp and along the trekking route to ensure a safe and hassle‑free yatra. Additional medical teams, traffic management, and crowd‑control measures have also been deployed in anticipation of the large gatherings.
The sacred Shat Chandi Maha Yagya was inaugurated at the shrine on Thursday, marking the auspicious beginning of Chaitra Navratri 2026. Officials said the continuous Vedic chants and rituals at the holy cave are meant to invoke divine blessings of peace, prosperity, and well‑being for all humanity. In view of the expected surge, the shrine board has coordinated comprehensive pilgrim‑centric facilities, including queue management, water and sanitation services, and emergency response mechanisms, to provide a smooth and spiritually enriching yatra experience.
