Jammu Kashmir City Guide
Jammu and Kashmir is the northern most state of India, nestled in the Himalayas.
Vaishno Devi, a holy cave shrine situated at an altitude of over 5000 feet in a beautiful recess of the Trikuta mountains forming a part of the lower Himalayas attracts a huge number of pilgrims every day of the year unless the route is blocked by snowfall.Within the cave are ancient images of three deities, the Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. Popular belief holds that anybody who walks up to the shrine of Vaishno Devi to ask for a boon rarely goes back disappointed. There are many who journey here year after year to pay obeisance, regardless of their faith or belief, creed or class, caste or religion, for Mata Vaishno Devi transcends all such barriers.
Vaishnavi' means the one who is related to lord "Vishnu''. Goddess Vaishnavi is the manifestation of the collective spiritual strengths of Mata Maha Kali, Mata Maha Lakshmi and Mata Maha Saraswati. It is described in Durga Sapatshati that the goddess was born as a young girl of extraordinary beauty and strength, out of the collectively pooled 'Tejas' of various 'Devtas' and three lords Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar. The immediate purpose of the creation of the goddess was the annihilation of Asura (Devil) Mahishasura. However another purpose of her creation was that she might usher on earth an era of pious and ascetic life so that the peace could prevail upon the world and she through her penance could rise to higher levels of spirituality and ultimately merge with Vishnu.
Nestled in snow-capped mountains and forests of Trikuta mountain forming a part of the lower Himalayas in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. from Katra to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi. Remember keep chanting 'Jai Mata Di'!'darshan' is not complete until Bhairav temple is visited on the way back.
Getting There
Jammu is connected by train to all major states of India. It is about 13-14 hour’s rail travel distance from Delhi. From Jammu, the visitors have to proceed by bus up to Katra. The journey is about 2 hours through zig zag roads cutting across many hill-locks. The pil grims enjoy traveling by bus as many picturesque places fall in between Jammu & Katra. The dis tance between Jammu & Katra is about 52 kms. From Katra onwards the pilgrims have to travel up to shrine on foot or by horse/pony. The shrine is located in the mountains at a distance of 14 kms from Katra. Healthy person travel the entire route in 4 hours. It is essential for every visitor to obtain a Yatra-Slip from the tourist-reception centre, Katra. No payment is to be made for slip. Pilgrims who proceed further, without obtaining slip, have to return back from Ban Ganga. No pilgrim is al lowed to travel beyond Ban-Ganga without yatra slip.
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| By Himanshu kumar (on Dec 20, 2011 02:03 PM) Please u give me your toll free no. for information of holidays tour
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