A significant number of pilgrims have arrived at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine base camp in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district as the Navratri festival gains momentum. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board reported that over 30,000 devotees have set off towards the holy cave from Katra. This surge in footfall is attributed to the Chaitra Navratri festival, attracting devotees from various parts of the country seeking blessings from Mata Vaishno Devi.
Despite the large influx of pilgrims, the pilgrimage is proceeding smoothly with authorities maintaining crowd control and ensuring essential facilities for the devotees. Visitors have commended the improved arrangements in the area, including better signboards and informative displays. Registration for the yatra resumed early on Sunday after a temporary halt due to the overwhelming number of devotees at Katra, with nearly 1 lakh devotees having already visited the sacred cave shrine since the start of Navratri.
The shrine, located atop the Trikuta Hills, welcomes over 1 crore pilgrims annually, with the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board efficiently managing its operations under the leadership of Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha. Robust crowd control measures have been put in place to ensure a safe and orderly pilgrimage experience for all visitors.
