Devanjana Mukherjee, Khabri Media
The shrine, located 45 kilometres from the winter capital Jammu, has been decked up to receive pilgrims from across the country during the nine-day Navratra festival.
Pic: Social Media
The enchanting shrine of Vaishno Devi, nestled in the lap of the Trikuta Mountains in Jammu and Kashmir, has always been a symbol of unwavering faith, spiritual devotion, and sheer determination. Every year, millions of pilgrims make their way to this sacred site to seek the blessings of the divine mother, Vaishno Devi.
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This Navratri, the spirit of devotion burned brighter than ever as over 1.27 lakh pilgrims embarked on the challenging journey to the holy shrine in the first three days of this auspicious festival. The sheer number of pilgrims is a testament to the enduring faith and belief in the divine mother, who is believed to fulfill the wishes of all those who visit her shrine with sincerity.
According to the official shrine board, around 45,000 pilgrims visited the shrine on the first day of Sharadiya Navratri on Sunday, the number stood at 41,164 on the second day and 41,523 on the third.
Pic: Social Media
They further added that over 78 lakh pilgrims have offered their prayers at the shrine since January this year. The highest number of over 11.95 lakh pilgrims was recorded in June, while the lowest of around 4.14 lakh was witnessed in February.
Anticipating the large pilgrim traffic, the shrine has made the necessary arrangements to accommodate the visitors which include installing 120 CCTV cameras and implementing an RFID ( radio frequency identification) card system for crowd management.
For specially challenged devotees, Vaishno Devi offers free access to horses and battery-powered cars. This will make travel to the shrine, a hassle-free affair for specially challenged devotees. Moreover, they will also get priority darshan at the temple.
The arduous journey, the physical challenges, and the shared spiritual experience make this pilgrimage a symbol of unwavering faith and unity. As the festival of Navratri continues, more devotees will make their way to the sacred cave, seeking blessings.
