A Visit To Mata Vaishno Devi Temple

The trip started from Delhi with me, my sister, my brother-in-law, and their daughter and son. The five of us began our journey from Delhi by train, reaching Katra in the evening. After having some snacks, we set off on our trek. There were shops where we bought camera rolls, as those were the days of manual cameras that needed rolls. I bought two or three rolls to capture the scenic beauty. There were sticks available in the cabins that were used as support while walking up.

Palkis, horses, and pithoos were other modes of carrying pilgrims to the shrine. It’s a 12 km trek from the base camp, Katra.

We took the broad path road, although some chose the path via steps. Initially, it was easy climbing up with the help of the stick, but as we moved on, taking snaps here and there, it became more challenging.

Climbing along the mountain path was a great experience, but we experienced stiffness in our calves and our legs started aching. We were accompanied by a local guide who helped us carry our belongings and also massaged our stiff and aching legs.

The ground area before climbing up the mountain has a road that goes up to the shrine. Halfway to the Vaishno Devi temple, there is the Ardhkuwari cave.

As we reached the Bhawan area, we rushed to a nearby lodging to freshen up and proceed towards the temple visit. We stood in the queue; it was chilly outside, and our feet were freezing when stepping out of the carpet. Following the queue, we entered the way to the shrine. The three deities in the form of sacred stones are goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Kali. There was a totally different feeling. We were given a coin of the shrine and some Prasad.

After our darshan, we started walking back to Katra. Though climbing up was tough, walking down was easier. For a moment, I saw someone beside me covered with a shawl from the head. It struck me for a second that my father was by my side. But then I realized he was no longer with us, so how could it be possible? As I turned, there was no one there. Perhaps it was the grace of the goddess. However, we returned to Katra in almost half the time it took to climb up, as walking down was easy even without the walking stick.

It was an experience of a lifetime—the trek, the feeling of peace, and the soulful journey overall. The higher we go among the hills and mountains, the more we find inner peace and a sense of connectivity with ourselves. It feels like a world away from the daily rush of life.