Katra (Reasi): With chants of ‘Jai Mata Di’ and bhajans played from loudspeakers filling the air in Katra, the base camp for the Mata Vaishno Devi temple, hundreds of devotees on Monday made a beeline for the decked-up shrine atop Trikuta hills on the first day of Navratri to pay obeisance and seek blessings of the deity.
Sparkling lights and colourful decorations have added to the spiritual fervour and gaiety of the town in Reasi district, with devotees setting out on pilgrimage since early morning to seek the blessings of Mata Rani amid multi-tier security arrangements.
The nine-day Navratri festival got off to a grand beginning, with officials expecting a footfall of more than 10,000 pilgrims daily. Close to 10,000 devotees visited the shrine till evening on Monday, they said.
“The Shrine Board has made very elaborate arrangements for the Navratri to ensure a comfortable yatra for the devotees,” Sachin Kumar Vaishya, CEO, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, said.
Welcoming the devotees on the first day of the festival, Vaishya said the Shrine Board has deployed volunteers to guide the pilgrims, manage the rush, and ensure smooth movement along the 13-km yatra route.
Drinking water points, medical stations, and crowd management measures have been put in place to ensure a safe and comfortable pilgrimage experience for the devotees coming from across the country, Vaishya said.
This year, the Shrine Board has introduced wireless communication sets to enhance coordination and communication along the yatra route. A multi-tier security grid involving the police, CRPF, paramilitary forces, and quick-response teams will be in place throughout the festival, the officials said.
Chanting devotional hymns and singing bhajans, the devotees made their way towards the holy Bhawan after climbing a decorated serpentine path, with cries of ‘Jai Mata Di’ renting the air.
The devotees offered prayers and participated in rituals, celebrating the beginning of the nine-day festival with enthusiasm, the officials said.
The shrine has been adorned with floral decorations, creating a festive ambience for the thousands of devotees expected to arrive here over the next nine days.
Hunamant Singh, a devotee, said he came from Garhwal (Uttarakhand) and this was his first visit to Vaishno Devi during Navratri.
“I come here often at other times. I heard a lot about Navratri here – that the decorations are beautiful and the ‘darshan’ is very good. Today I saw it first hand, it was amazing…”
Singh, who came here with his family members and relatives, added, “It was a call of the Mata. I am getting her blessings during Navratri, which will bring happiness and growth in our lives.”
Like Singh, Simita from Pune said Mata came in her dreams, prompting her to rush to join a caravan of devotees who came here to pay obeisance.
“My heart and mind were in turmoil for some time but they calmed after ‘darshan’. My dream has come true as Mata called me. I feel a divine calmness and satisfaction now,” Simita said.
The pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi resumed on September 17 after remaining suspended for 22 days due to a devastating landslide along the track caused by torrential rain on August 26, which killed 34 people and injured 20 others.
Meanwhile, the 43rd Chhari Yatra on Monday departed from Shri Raghunathji temple in Jammu and reached the Vaishno Devi shrine via Nagrota and Katra, where prayers were offered for peace, prosperity, and relief from natural calamities.
To be observed from September 22 to October 1, Navratri is dedicated to the worship of Durga. The festival holds special significance for the Vaishno Devi shrine, which sees one of its highest pilgrim footfalls during this period.
