Jammu: As many as 24,000 devotees paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Vaishnodevi in Katra on the first day of Navratra on Thursday. The Dispatch News Desk (DND) reported.
“So far 24,000 devotees have paid obeisance at the shrine,” a Vaishno Devi Shrine Board official said. Long queues of devotees were also witnessed in Jammu since early morning, with people thronging temples to offer prayers.
Tight security arrangements have been put in place on the occasion to ensure a safe and secure Yatra with additional units of paramilitary forces being roped in to maintain a close watch. People are being frisked at several checkpoints and police officers in plain clothes have also been deployed to keep a vigil on suspicious movements.
Vaishno Devi Mandir is one of the holy Hindu temples dedicated to Shakti, located in the hills of Vaishno Devi, in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In Hinduism, Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Mother Goddess.
Vaishno Devi Temple is located near the town of Katra, in the Reasi district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The shrine is at an altitude of 5300 feet and a distance of approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Katra. Approximately 8 million pilgrims visit the temple every year. A rail link from Udhampur to Katra is being built to facilitate pilgrimage. The nearest airport is Jammu Airport which has very high flight frequency. All leading domestic airlines have their services to Jammu Airport.
