Jammu: A museum of the goddesses comprising replicas and representations of major ‘devi’ pilgrimage sites from across India will come up at Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said it is the first-of-its-kind museum dedicated exclusively to goddesses and experts have been assigned to the project. “I hope that work (on it) will begin soon.”
“The first ever International Museum of Goddess in the country is set to come up in Katra. I believe Katra, and indeed the entire nation, will take pride in this museum,” Sinha said.
Katra houses the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in the Trikuta hills, where 80 to 90 lakh pilgrims visit annually from across the world to offer prayers.
According to officials, the museum will have replicas of Shakti Peeths as well as major temples dedicated to the ‘devis’.
They said the proposed museum at Katra will highlight the spiritual, cultural and historical heritage associated with Goddess Vaishno Devi and the region, and is expected to further strengthen Katra’s position as a major pilgrimage and tourism destination.
The initiative aims to develop a global centre for research and knowledge related to the Devi traditions and Shakti worship. “It will mark a major step towards preserving and showcasing the country’s rich spiritual and cultural legacy,” they said.
The museum is envisioned as a world-class institution that will document legends, traditions, artefacts and historical narratives linked to the shrine and the wider region of Jammu and Kashmir, they said.
It will also provide visitors deeper insights into the evolution of faith, art and architecture connected with the pilgrimage.
The initiative is expected to further strengthen Katra’s identity as a global spiritual destination, attracting pilgrims, scholars and tourists from across India and abroad, officials said.
The project is also expected to boost heritage tourism, generate employment opportunities and support the local economy, aligning with the LG’s broader vision of promoting cultural heritage, tourism development and sustainable growth in Jammu and Kashmir, they said.
