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Navratri festival brings devotees to Vaishno Devi
by Rajneesh Parihan

     Katra (Jammu): With Navratri festival having commenced on Saturday, a huge wave of devotees has engulfed Katra near Jammu city. With chants of "Jai Mata Di" filling the air, a large number of people are arriving here from across the country. The enthusiasm of devotees could be fathomed by a huge number of people visiting Katra on the first day of Navratri festival, marked to worship the nine forms of Goddess Vaishno, the mother of all Gods. Since the early morning hours on Saturday, devotees are converging in large numbers at the holy cave that houses the temple of Vaishnodevi at Katra in Jammu, to mark Navaratri festival. Every year millions of devotees visit Vaishno Devi shrine from across the country. But during Navratris, all devotees show greater enthusiasm in visiting the holy shrine to worship Goddess Vaishno. "This is the first time that we have come here. It is feeling ecstatic and full of devotion all around. There is excitement around and proper management has been done," said Kawaljeet Kaul, a devotee from Gurdaspur. "I have come to take blessings of Mother (Goddess Vaishno) during these Navaratris. My family is also with me," said Dr. Siwan Kumar Srivastava, another devotee from Bihar.

    Meanwhile, security has been beefed up and frisking of luggage and passengers is being done in the wake of any terrorist activity. Navaratri, which literally means nine nights is celebrated twice a year and celebrated in the praise of the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga. It comprises nine days of fasting and rituals and the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi acquires special status during the Navratris as it is considered to be the most auspicious time to undertake the Yatra or, religious journey to the holy shrine. The festival falls in the months of April-May and September- October. During these nine days and nights, prayers are offered and also fasting observed by a lot of devotees. The holy cave of Goddess Vaishno is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feet. The yatris or, pilgrims have to undertake a trek of nearly 12 km from the base camp at Katra. At the culmination of their pilgrimage, the yatris are blessed with the Darshans of the Goddess inside the Sanctum Sanctorum- the Holy Cave. These are in the shape of three natural rock formations called the "Pindies". There are no statues or idols inside the Cave. Devotees can visit the holy shrine round the clock throughout the year.
-Sept 24, 2006