VAISHNO DEVI YATRA

Katra to Vaishno Devi shrine

Vaishno Devi Yatra begins at Katra on foot. On the way, at a distance of 1 km from Katra is Banganga where Mata drew out water by piercing an arrow into the ground. 6 kms away lies the holy cave at Adhkawari. Ponies or Palanquins are also available for covering the yatra. Pithus (people who carry things on their back) can be hired for carrying children. The 13 km route is well built, wide and tiled and the whole path is lit up every night by powerful sodium vapor lamps. Due to the fact that so many people visit Vaishno Devi during the year, all amenities required to make the yatra comfortable are provided. Shelters and cafeterias serving pure vegetarian food are set up throughout the route. Hygienic drinking water & public washrooms are available along the yatra route.

After covering 9.5 km the next destination is Sanji Chhat which is primarily a resting area. From here Vaishno Devi Bhawan is just 3.5 km away.

The Yatra Slip has to be shown at the Registration Office before entering the Darbar, to determine your batch number, which is mentioned on the slip. This number is your place in the queue for darshan.

It is believed that that the Vaishno devi Yatra is complete only after visiting the shrine of Bhairon whom Mata forgave in his last moments. This shrine is visited only while returning from Mata's Darbar. Bhairon's Shrine is located at a distance of 2.5 km. from Bhavan. The return path is only 13 km as the return route from the Bhairon Shrine directly joins the main route at Sanjhi Chhat.