Solo Trip to Vaishno Devi

Place: -                       Ma Vaishno Devi Bhawan

Prerequisite:

Mata ka bulawa aana chaiyaee

Book Train, Yatra Parchi, Helicpter, Battery Car, Hotel at Katra, Bhawan, Ropeway

How to Reach: The nearest airport is located in Jammu. And a nearby Railway station is Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra. Options to get to Katra from there are to take a taxi or a bus from the stand just outside the railway station.  If you are travelling from Delhi, options include buses which go direct to Katra, or the train, which is more comfortable. 

Place to Visit:

Thursday 02.00 pm

Katra, also known as Katra Vaishno Devi, is a city in the Reasi district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir administered by India. It is in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains, about 42 km from the city of Jammu, and 35 km from Udhampur. The main attraction is the Maa Vaishno Devi temple.Vaishno Devi temple situated on top of the Trikuta Hills will test your resolve from time to time. Before embarking on this trip, you must know that pilgrims need to prepare themselves for a 12 KM long uphill trek. The trek is rated as the third most difficult temple trek in India. And only the fit individuals, today, think of this grueling uphill climb on uneven roads. If your travel troupe has aged, children or homemakers then it would be a good idea to hire helicopter ride. The chopper ride that starts from Katra will take you to the Sanjichhat (base camp) within 10 minutes. You can hire Pony rides for the next 2 KM long trek ahead.

On reaching to Katra, 3 things have to be done

1. Take RFID Card which is available at Katra Railway Station/ Bus Stand

2. Take Local Jio Sim Card (as Other State Sim Card will not work in Jammu)

3. Niharika Complex (if you wish to get refresh)

There are 4 ways to reach the Ma Vaishno Devi Bhawan: -

 1^st Option will be Helicopter Ride

Helicopter ride start from Katra and make you to reach you till Sanchichat. Bhavan is few km from there.

Helicopter Booking start 4 months before and seat get filled very fast

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Prefer to book helicopter between 10.00 to 12.00 from Katra to Bhawan and between 12.00 to 02.00 pm next day from Bhawan to Katra  

2^nd option will be palki

3^rd option will be ponny (Not advisable as it will create back pain ) &

4^th option will be trekking

You take any of the option but ensure that there will be one day stay at Bhawan

Hotel Booking start 4 months before and seat get filled very fast

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As a first timer, I would like to reiterate few points for other first timers, who wish to take the trek route.

• Do not take all your luggage, keep in locker

• Reasonable fitness would be highly helpful.      

• At least a month before, do practice some deep breathing for few minutes, regularly.

• Pair of shoes are a must.

• If you are prone to nausea, take a lemon / avomin etc.

• Do carry few pain killers, paracetamol, ointment

• Small torch would be handy.

• Always keep Woolen Cloth with you – Jacket/Shawl

• Keep Raincoat/Umbrella with you

• Use stairs to get down but donot go while going

• A water bottle and electrol or glucose.

• Shops are available almost every 1-2 kms.

• Walk slowly. Do not get tempted by people walking past you. Listen to your body.

• Obviously do not take heavy food when you stop in the middle. There are shops serving very hot Aloo paratha and tea.

• Carry a plastic sheet rain coa. It may not protect you from heavy rains. But would definitely come in handy to save your camera, phones etc.

• Carry less weight. I found my backpack became very heavy in the last few kms causing shoulder pain.

• Backpack should have a chest strap, so that the load is evenly distributed.

• It’s a very scenic route. Take regular breaks and never miss out them.

• The journey will be covered in 7/8 hours.

• During my visit, the weather was quite sunny on that day and I could wear just a t shirt up to 1 p.m. The weather changes drastically in this terrain, especially in the afternoons. It rained for about half an hour as we were reaching the temple.

• More importantly, when you rest in between, do not sit like you are sitting in the chair or even lower. Lean against a rock or post. This would be very helpful when you start the trek again.

• Carry enough cash. Don’t depend on your plastics. 

Places to See in and around enroute to Vaishno Devi Bhawan 

Darshani Darwaza The entry gate to the track is around 1 km from the bus stand at a point known as Darshani Deodhi (meaning entrance) or Darshani Darwaza (meaning gate). Legend says that Mata Vaishno Devi met Pandit Shridhar at this spot in the form of a girl child. This is also known as Darshani Darwaza because from here one gets a complete view of the Trikuta parbat (mountain). The term Darshan stands for view; hence symbolically this is the first Darshan of the Yatra. This spot is at 2800 feet above sea level.
There are two gates at this point; the first or the older gate leads to a flight of stairs; the second or the newer one has been developed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board as a grand colonnaded porch with adequate parking for private vehicles. The army assistance counter is also located here.

There are two route: -

Tarakota Marg is the new route with less crowd, no ponny/palki, lesser shop, little bit longer

&

Ban Ganga Marg is the old route(Preferable Route)

Ban Ganga After the Police Check Post and Yatra Parchi Check Post, the pilgrims reach a small bridge under which flows Banganga, the legendary river associated with the miracles and legends of Mata. There is water in the river all through the year except when there is an acute shortfall of rain or snow during the monsoon and winter respectively. It is considered sacred and as is normal Hindu tradition, devotees like to bathe in it before proceeding further. In the changed times, many pilgrims prefer to skip the traditional bath, but those having the time or those who are traditionally inclined and wish to follow the legends and traditions, would like to have a dip before proceeding further. There are a couple of Ghats built too, for this purpose. The first one is normally very crowded and the other is comparatively more spacious.  The name of this river comes from two terms, Ban and Ganga. Ban means Arrow and Ganga stands for the sacred river Ganges. It is believed that Mata Vaishno Devi, while on her way to the Holy Cave, created this water body with an arrow from her quiver, hence the name Banganga. It is also said that she had taken a dip in it and had washed her hair here. Thus some people also prefer to call it Bal Ganga, the term Bal meaning hair in Hindi.

Charan Paduka: About 1.5 kms. from Banganga and at an altitude of 3380 feet is Charan Paduka, the place where the imprints of Mata's pious feet are believed to be imprinted on a rock slab. The Darshans at Charan Paduka do not take more than a few minutes on a normal day. One pays obeisance at the footprints of Mata engraved on a rock slab and proceeds further. Symbolically, it means touching the feet of Mata and seeking Her blessings at the start of the journey.

 Adhkuwari– Around 500 mtrs. from Inderprastha and located at an altitude of 4800 feet is Adkuwari. One can get a glimpse of the fluttering flag and temple spires and can hear continuous announcements from the announcement booth much before actually reaching there. Adkuwari is the half way mark on the track as it is situated at a distance of nearly 6 kms. from Katra. The Holy Cave is now nearly 6 km. away. Adkuwari is one of the most important Darshans on the visit, second only to the main Darshans at the Holy Cave.

The term Adkuwari is believed to have come from Adi kumari, which means "The Eternal Virgin". According to the legend, when Vaishnavi, in the form of a small girl, disappeared from the Bhandaara organized by Pandit Shridhar, she halted at Banganga and Charan Paduka. From there she reached Adkuwari, where, in a small womb shaped cave she meditated and observed spiritual discipline (Tapasya) for nine long months. The exact spot where she is believed to have meditated is located at the right hand side inside the cave and is shaped like a womb. Since Vaishnavi had observed spiritual discipline in a womb shaped cave for a period of nine months, this cave has become popular by the name of Garbh Joon, which has come from the term Garbh Yoni meaning the Womb. It is generally believed that by merely passing through this cave, a devotee's sins are cleansed and his soul becomes pious again.

When during her meditation She realized that Bhairon Nath had approached the cave in Her search, She created an exit at the other end with Her trident and proceeded towards the Holy Cave.

Since the cave is very narrow, only one person can pass through it at a time. While the entrance is comfortably broad, as one enters further one starts wondering whether it would be possible for him to pass through it or not. A prompt or a nudge from the person waiting behind him, a remembrance of Mata in the hearts and on the lips, and crawl by crawl, one is out of the cave, fully recharged with an energy that definitely belongs to the other world.

After taking slip for Aardhkumari, take the Himkoti route to reach Bhawan

 Himkoti : Himkoti is situated at a distance of 2.75 kms from Adkuwari on the new track. Himkoti is one of the most beautiful spots on this track with breathtaking scenic views of the entire valley. Although there is no traditional or religious significance associated with this point, yet the very nature of this spot and its natural splendour envelops the pilgrims in a ethereal and mysterious charm. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has developed a view point, restaurant and a dosa counter here. Packed and cooked food including meals, hot and cold beverages and other important items including medicare and oxygen cylinders, cassettes are available here. There is adequate place to rest and relax and also enjoy the beauty of nature. Himkoti is being developed something more than a view point, with an artificial pond, a garden and a meditation centre.

Himkoti is the place from where one can get Battery Car to reach to Bhawan.

After reaching near Bhawan,

Upon reaching the Bhawan, a bath in the holy water of the bathing ghat is considered the ideal cleansing before the holy darshan

Keep your luggage in your hotel or locker

If you are not able to book hotel near Bhawan. You can try

Parwati Bhavan for Bathing + Locker (offline)

Durga Bhavan for Dormitory (offline)

Manokamna Bhavan for Dormitory (offline)

Kalika Bhavan for Bathing + Locker 

Friday

4.00 am  

The Goddess Vaishno Devi's abode - is a 30 m long cave with a narrow opening. The holy cold and crystal-clear water washes the lotus feet of the Mata's "Pindian". There are three natural pindies representing Maha Sarswati, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Kali which represent creative, preservative, and destructive aspects of the Super Power. It is an ancient shrine whose reference is found in the Vedas and ancient scriptures.

Do Ma Vaishno Devi Darshan 

Try to experience the famed aarti held at the Bhawan before sunrise and after sunset. This sacred aarti is performed by pujaris before the holy deity and then brought outside for the devotees. Aarti timing is morning 5.30/06.00 am to 08.00/08.30 am and evening morning 5.30/06.00 pm to 08.00/08.30 pm. You can book Aarti Darshan online also

Always remember the queue use to increase during this time as the darshan use to close during the Aarti time.

Also explore temples dedicated to Mata Durga, Lord Shiv, Lord Hanuman and Lord Ram within the Bhawan complex.

 10.00 am

Take Ropeway and have Baba Bharavnath Darshan

Book the ropeway online

Bhairavnath Temple – Dedicated to the saint Bhairavnath, no trip to Katra or Mata Vaishno Devi is ever complete without having visited the famous Bhairavnath Mandir.

12.00 am

Start towards Adhkuwari 

Reach by 02.00pm 

Do Darshan by 04.00 pm and 

reach Katra by 08.00 pm

Famous:-

Place to Stay: -

Best Time to Visit:- The shrine is open throughout the year, with Navratri’s being the peak season. For a comfortable trek, visit Vaishno Devi between March and October when the weather is cool and pleasant.

Eat:-

Purchase:-

Do:-

Book Train, Yatra Parchi, Helicpter, Hotel at Katra, Bhawan, Ropeway

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