[ Edit ] Overview

Vaishno Devi has a very important position in terms of pilgrimage for Hindus and one of the most important places of worship dedicated to Goddess Shakti.  It is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feet in the Trikuta Mountains which form a part of lower Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir.  Vaishno Devi is the second most visited religious shrine in India after the Tirumala Tirupati Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.

According to a pilgrim's belief, one who walks the Himalayan trail to Mata Vaishno Devi’s abode to ask for a mannat (boon) rarely goes back disappointed. As the devotees trek up to the holy cave they keep chanting “Jai Mata Di” which reverberates through the valley.

The Vaishno Devi cave / temple is maintained by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

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[ Edit ] History

The legend of Vaishno Devi dates back to 700+ years ago. Vaishno Devi, who was also called “Adh Karwari" or "Eternal Virgin”, was a devotee of Lord Rama. She took a vow of celibacy and established an ashram in the Trikuta mountains and started meditating. As Lord Rama had predicted, her fame started spreading far and wide and a number of devotees came here to seek her blessings.

At this time a tantrik called Gorakh Nath (Demi God) visualized the episode between her and Lord Rama and sent his most trusted disciple Bhairon Nath, or Demon God, to secretly spy on her. The demon saw Vaishno Devi going towards the mountains and gave her chase. He saw that despite she being a Sadhvi she always carried bows and arrows with her and was surrounded by langurs (apes) and a lion.

 On her way to the mountains, the Goddess feeling thirsty at a place known as Banganga shot an arrow into the earth from which water gushed out. After quenching her thirst, she rested here. The place where the marks of her feet are imprinted her is called as “Charan Paduka”.

Vaishno Devi then meditated at a cave in Adhkawari and it took the demon nine months to locate her and therefore the cave is called as Garbha Joon. Immediately Mata blasted an opening at the other end of the cave with her Trident and came to the Holy cave at Darbar. The demon followed her here and she assumed the form of Mahakali and cut off the demon’s head with a flying disc. The head was flung off in the direction of the mountains by the force of the blow and finally rested at a place where the Bhairon Temple is situated. The demon in his dying moments was given divine forgiveness by the Mata. The boulder at the mountain of the Holy cave is believed to be the petrified torso of the demon.

Quick Facts

[ Edit ] State

Jammu & Kashmir, India

[ Edit ] Location

Vaishno Devi is located 28 kms near Jammu in the State of Jammu & Kashmir.

[ Edit ] Best Time To Visit

Pilgrims visit Vaishno Devi throughout the year although most prefer the months of October and November as the coincide with holy months.

[ Edit ] Tourist Offices

[ Edit ] STD Code

01991- 82

Sightseeing

Adhkawari

Banganga

Bhairon ka Mandir

Cave of Mata Rani Vaishno Devi

Weather

DAY: Sun	LOW: 26	HIGH: 32
DAY: Mon	LOW: 26	HIGH: 32

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