Katra - BindaasTravel.com | Katra- Indian Travel Destination | Katra Maps , Wallpapers , History | Hotels in Katra

Dham, Arth, Kaam, Moksh. The four pillars of human contentment find culmination at the Holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi. The journey to the shrine is in itself a spiritual experience and one can see people with ailments climbing up the holy shrine ignorant of their pain and miseries. As they say, nothing matters when ‘Mata calls’. So follow the call of Mata towards a path of revelation and cry out loud ‘Jai mata di’

Katra is the base camp of the shrine. It is situated 50 kilometers (31.06 miles) from Jammu. Thousands of devotees regularly throng Mata’s shrine in belief that Mata will grant their wishes, albeit in the righteous sense of the word. A pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi is considered to be one of the holiest in the country.

History

Pilgrimages to the holy shrine started many years ago. There is no official record to indicate the exact date of the start of the pilgrimage, just a geological study that proves the caves themselves are nearly a million years old.

First mention of Mata Vaishno Devi, the mother goddess is found in the Mahabharata, during the battle of Kurukshetra. Arjun, seeking victory prays to the Mother Goddess to be with him and make the Pandavas emerge victorious. Arjun addresses the Mother Goddess as ‘Jambookatak Chityaishu Nityam Sannihitalaye’, which means ‘you who always dwell in the temple on the slope of the mountain in Jamboo’, a possible reference to present day Jammu.

It is believed, after their eventual victory at Kurukshetra, the Pandavas undertook a pilgrimage to pay homage to Mata Vaishno Devi. At the time, they built temples at Kol Kandoli and Bhawan. These are also said to be the first structures of prayer and devotion towards Mother Goddess in the area. Adjacent to the Trikuta mountain (where the holy shrine is located) is a cave with five stone structures, believed to represent the Pandavas, drawing lifelong blessings from the Mother Goddess.
Getting Around

Katra is a small town and most places of interest are at a walking distance. The trek to the Holy shrine is 12 kilometers (7.4 miles). You can either walk or take a pony or pitthu (an indigenous equine), if required, to the shrine. The local authorities have made arrangements for electric cars that ply till adh-kuwari, but these are strictly for the physically challenged. For movement within Katra, cycle rickshaws are a good way to get around.
Tourist Traps in the City

Katra is a holy city and people are mostly hospitable. The most you will have to deal with may be a pushy rickshaw-wala or vendor. But bargaining is a way of life and you will find the populace to be friendly and accommodating.

Vaishno Devi

Mata Vaishno Devi is known as the ‘the mother who fulfills all wishes. A pilgrimage to her remote temple at Katra is considered one of the holiest and hardest. The steep 12 kilometer (7.4 miles) trek from the base camp at Katra to the cave temple in the mountains is also one of the hardest tests of devotion. Yet, thousands of disciples - both young and old, undertake this trip every year braving the severe cold or even the persistent monsoon rains.

The pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi begins at Katra. Visitors arrive via train, bus or private taxes at Katra and proceed to the Yatra Registration Counter (YRC). Registration slip in hand, you can begin the trek up to the first check post at Bhanganga. Past the first check post, your next stop is the Bhawan, near the top of Trikoot hill. Once there, make your way to the counter and obtain a Group Number. The time between getting a group number and actually gaining entry will depend on the rush at the time. By issuing group numbers, the Shrine Board is able to regulate the number of visitors, especially during peak summer months and Navratras.

Mantalai

Shiva with his wife Goddess Parvati, which took place in the lush green areas of Mantalai.
Located at an altitude of 2000 metres and at a distance of 120 kms from Jammu, Mantalai attracts a lot of Hindu devotees and tourists every year. This ancient place of worship is abode to a lot of temples, with the Sudh Mahadev temple lying closest to Mantalai. Devotees need to wade through River Devika to enter the premises of Sudh Mahadev, where prayers are offered to black marble Shivling.

Shiv Khori

The route from Jammu to Katra is full of picturesque vistas, of green mountains topped with white snow, deep valleys and gushing waterfalls. Many of these mountains are surrounded by caves that are as old as the mountains themselves and ripe with legends of gods and goddesses, especially Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati.

One such wonder is Shiv Khori, a kilometer long cave which houses a 4-feet high naturally formed Shivaling. Shaped like the Lord’s own damaroo, the cave is wide at the ends and narrow in the center. Local legend says it actually connects to the larger Shivaling at Amarnath, but that cannot be confirmed as modern pilgrims are allowed no more than 135 meters (442.9 feet) inside the cave.

Surface

Traveling to Katra by road, in a bus or a private car, is the most convenient, as you can head directly to Katra without necessarily halting at Jammu, which is a compulsion if traveling by trains or air. Travelers can take a by-pass from Kunjwani, 10kms off Jammu, and proceed to Katra.

State-owned public transport and private buses are ply from all major north Indian cities to Jammu. Both standard and deluxe buses are available. The roads are well maintained and the scenery beautiful.

From Katra, it is a trek of 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) to reach the Holy Caves. Though yatris traverse the distance on foot to prove their devotion to the Goddess, ponies and rudimentary palanquins are available for those who want to avail it.

One of the quickest ways to undertake the pilgrimage is by helicopter, which drops you 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the Bhawan, at Sanjhi Chatt. However, this option is also more expensive. It can upto Rs 1,225 for a one-way trip and Rs 2,450 for return. Electric cars are also available to take you from adh-kuwari to the Bhawan.

Train

Jammu is connected to the rest of the country by rail. It is an overnight journey to Jammu from New Delhi. Additional trains ply during the summer season and holidays, when it is the peak season for paying devotion to the Holy Shrine. Jammu has trains to all the metros as well as superfast trains to Trivandrum, Kanyakumari, Ahmedabad and Patna.

It is recommended that you refer to the train schedule some days before your visit as the schedule keeps changing.

Air

The nearest airport to Katra is at Jammu. All major airlines fly to Jammu from Delhi, offering convenient connections. The flight takes about 80 minutes from Delhi. Jammu is well connected from Mumbai and other metros as well. However, most flights will stopover at Delhi.