Religious places

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Vaishno Devi:  The sacred abode of Goddess Vaishodevi is perched at a height of 5200 ft. on the holy Trikuta Hills. The cave shrine of Mata Vaisno devi is regarded as one of the holiest Hindu temples of the country. Katra, 48 kms from Jammu is the base camp for visiting the holy cave and is well connected by buses. From here one has to trek a distance of 13 kms, to reach the shrine. Obtain a yatra slip from the yatra registration counter at the Tourist Reception Center at the Katra bus stand, before starting the journey. The holy pilgrimage formally commences from Darshani Deori, at the northern end of the old Katra bazaar. The journey has to be undertaken by foot. ponies or on palkhis or doli(palanquins). Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine board manages the shrine and yatra with great efficiency, making the pilgrimage an unforgettable experience. The entire route is paved, well lit and kept clean. Public utilities, bathrooms, shelters, medical units and shops are located at regular intervals. The holy cave enshrines three natural rock images (pindian) of the Goddess (Mata) in her three forms – Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi and Mha Kali, which represents creative, preservative and destructive aspects of the divine energy. According to legends, the darshan of Mata is rendered incomplete without visiting the Bhairon Temple, located 2.6 kms from the main sanctum.
Amarnath Yatra: Amarnath cave, the sacred abode of Lord Shiva is one of the most important Hindu pilgrim centers in the country. The Holy cave perched at an altitude of 3962 meters is 2 feet long, 55 feet broad and 50 feet deep. It enshrines a unique Shivalayam, which is created naturally by water dripping through  the limestone roof of the cave. The cave shrine can be visited from the first week of july to mid Sept. The State Government makes elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims and are well supported by volunteers. ‘Chhari Mubarak’, the symbolic emblem of Lord Shiva, is – carried on foot by devotees from Srinagar to the Amarnath cave in various stages. The traditional route from Pahalgam to Amarnath via Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panchtarni is endowed with breathtaking vistas. One can also visit Amarnath from Sonamarg side. The trek to the sacred site is just 16 kmsstarting from Baltal.