(Pilgrimage sites, Navratri 2025)
🕉️*Shri Mata Vaishno Devi yatra guideline*
Destination daring (the fast trevel blog)
Date of Publishing
✍️ : Kamal Jeet KaurTaur
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Divine Darshan of Maa Vaishno Devi sitting on her lionl Introduction |
Welcome back to Destination daring (the fast trevel blog) Friends, today I am going to give you complete information about a place which everyone considers themselves fortunate to visit, yes this is none other than the most sacred abode of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi.
Vaishno Devi yatra is one of the most sacred pilgrimage for Hindus. Situated in the Trikuta Hills near Katra (J&K) the holy cave of maa Vaishno Devi attracts millios of devotees every year. This Vaishno Devi yatra guide will help you to plan your trip smoothly covering routes, registration, accommodation and important notable tips. To know the complete information read this article till the end.
For thousand of years the temple of Mata Vaishno Devi is situated amidst sky-touching mountains, tall trees and dense forests that give peace to the mind.
This divine temple of Mata Vaishno Devi is about 50 km from Jammu and 12.5 km from Katra. There is always a crowd of devotees in this temple of Mata Vaishno Devi. This is the only temple in the world whose doors are never closed; the temple is open 24 hours. Every year lakhs of people from the country and abroad come here to see the Maa Vaishno and get her blessings.
This temple is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths, this temple is dedicated to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. There is no statue's are worshipped in this cave only hree divine pindeis of Mata (Mata Mahakali, Mata Maha Lakshmi, Mata Maha Saraswati) are worshipped here.
Here only the Pindi form of the Maa Vaishno Devi is worshiped and devotees come to see the divine form of the mother.
Mata is seated in a cave between the three peaks of Trikuta mountain, hence Mata Vaishno is also called Trikuta.
🌺Story of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi
According to Ramayan
There is a story of the mother in Ramayana. According to this story, when in Treta Yuga, sins increased a lot on the earth and the earth was in turmoil due to the atrocities of the demons, then for the welfare of the world, the mother appeared in the form of a Vaishnavi girl in the house of Sagar Ratnakar and she decided to do penance to get Lord Rama as her husband and went to the forest.
During exile, after Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, Ram and Laxman were looking for Sita. They met Vaishnavi. Vaishnavi requested Ram to marry her. Then Shri Ram said that in this incarnation, I have resolved to be a one-wife man. Still, I accept your request and promise you that after conquering Lanka, I will meet you in a different form. If you recognize me then, I will surely marry you.
After conquering Lanka, Shri Ram and Laxman came to meet Vaishnavi in the guise of a saint. But the mother could not recognize them. Then the Lord told the mother that I will surely marry you in my Kalki incarnation. Till then, you should stay in a cave in Trikuta Mountain where already Mother Mahakali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati are doing penance.
You should also do penance with them and do good to the world in the form of Vaishno Devi and fulfill the wishes of the devotees. Since then, Mother Vaishnavi has been waiting for Shri Ram in penance by becoming invisible along with Mother Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. She is famous in the world as Mother Vaishno Devi. And appears before the devotees in the form of Pindi. Maa fulfills the wishes of her devotees and destroys their sorrows.
Pundit Shridhar and Mata Vaishno Devi
This is about 700 years old. It is said that a Pandit named Shridhar lived in Hansali village. He was a great devotee of Mata Vaishno Devi, but he had no children. Shridhar ji was very sad about this but he had unwavering faith in Mata Rani. His wife also had full faith in Mother Vaishno Devi.
Once during Navratri, Shridhar ji vowed that until the mother does not feed me with her own hands, I will not eat or drink anything. Then the mother appeared in his house in the form of a little girl and asked him to invite all the people of the village to his house for a feast. Then Pandit ji humbly told the mother that mother I have a small hut and I am very poor, how can I feed so many people with a feast? Then the mother in the form of a girl said that if you believe in Mata Vaishno Devi, then leave all your worries to me and organize a feast.
As per the order of that girl, Pandit ji invited the whole village to his feast. Some people said Pandit ji you are so poor, how will you organize such a big event? Pandit ji told them about the order of the girl. Baba Bhairav Nath lived in the same village with his 360 disciples. Pandit ji invited Bhairav Nath. Bhairav said you cannot feed us all.
Then Shridhar ji told him about the mother in the form of a girl. Then Bhairav ji accepted the invitation and decided to test that girl. The next day all the villagers came to Shridhar ji's house, then a miracle happened, everyone sat comfortably in that small hut, after that Bhairav ji also arrived, he was stunned to see the miracle with his own eyes, what is this, so many people in such a small hut, he thought, then the girl started serving everyone their favorite food.
When the girl came to Bhairav and started serving food, he said I don't want your food, I want non-vegetarian food, then the mother said in a commanding voice, this is the Bhandaara of a Brahmin's house, only Satvik food will be available here.
Then Bhairav held the mother's hand, then the mother disappeared from there, Pandit ji and the mother disappeared from there and went to Trikuta mountain, there the goddess met Hanuman ji who was walking with her as the mother's guard.
Then Hanuman ji expressed his desire to drink water, then the mother shot an arrow in a stone and quenched the thirst of Bajrang Bali by manifesting Ganga and the mother washed her hair in the same water, since then this place came to be known as Baan Ganga or Bal Ganga. Mata moved forward, Durga stopped after walking for a while and looked back to see if Bhairav was following her. Maa's holy foot prints were imprinted on that stone due to which that place became famous as Charan Paduka.
Later, the mother decided to stay in a cave. Bajrang Bali was also with the mother. A saint was meditating outside the cave. Bharwa ji asked the saint if he had seen any girl coming there. The saint said that the girl whom you are thinking is actually Adi Shakti. You should stop following her. But Bhairav did not listen to him.
Then a fierce battle took place between Bhairav Nath and Bajrang Bali. The mother made a way by shooting an arrow in the cave and came out. The mother spent 9 months in this cave, just like a child stays in the mother's womb for 9 months. Since then, this cave became famous as Garbhjoon. From there, the mother and Bajrang Bali entered a beautiful cave via Hathi Matha and Sanjhi Chhat.
Bhairav was still behind her. The mother said go back, but Bhairav stubbornly tried to catch her. Then the mother assumed a fierce form and killed Bhairav with her sword. Bhairav's torso was established as a stone at the entrance of the cave.
Devotees enter the cave by stepping on it. And Bhairav's head fell in the valley 2.75 km away from the building. Then Bhairav Nath, repenting his mistake, asked forgiveness from the mother, repeatedly called out mother-mother, then the mother forgave him and blessed him that the devotees who come to see me will also see you, otherwise their journey will be considered incomplete. Since then, that place became famous as Bhairav Valley.
Here Pandit ji and his wife became very sad due to the incomplete there Bhandara. Then the next day in the dream, the mother showed them her residence and blessed them with four sons and said that your descendants will worship me for ages. According to the dream, Shridhar ji searched for the bhawan of the mother along with some devotees. Since then, this temple became world famous.
There are seven main stops of this temple: Bhumika Mandir, Baan Ganga, Charan Paduka, Ardh Kunwari, Hathi Matha, Sanjhi Chhat, Sundar Gufa (Bhawan) and Bhairav Mandir 2.5 km away from Bhawan. It is believed that Bhairav ji can be seen only after the darshan of Mata, otherwise the journey of the devotees is considered incomplete.
Free inns are available for the stay of the travelers in Vaishno Devi temple and there are also some hotels where you can take a room as per your convenience.
Location & Significance
Temple location: Trikuta Hills, about 13 km from Katra town
Attitude : ~5,200 ft above sea level
Believe: Maa Vaishno Devi fulfills the wishes of her true devotees. The yatra is considered incomplete until you visit the Bhairon Baba temple after darshan.
Time to see the Holy Cave of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi ji
You can visit Shri Mata Vaishno Devi ji at any time of the day. Apart from this ic you want to participate in the Aarti of mother, then you will have to make an online booking form the official website of Shri MataVaishno Devi https://www.maavaishnodevi.org in advance the Aarti timing starts from 6:20 AM. and 6:20 PM. But the time Aarti changes twice a year, 7:20 in the summer and 6:20 in the winter. This timing changes during Chaitra Navratri and Sharadiya Navratri.
Best time to visit Mata Vaishno Devi
Mata Vaishno Devi Darbar is the only temple in India that never closes. Devotees can visit here any day of the year and in any season. There is no fixed time to visit here. So you are free to visit any time Mata Vaishno Devi. But still the time March to June& September- October is considered best according to the weather.
How to reach
By ✈️
- Nearest Airport: Srinagar International Airport (SXR) buses and taxis are available from airport to every destination of J&K.
By 🚆
- Nearest Railway Station: Now directKatra Railway station is available to reach Shri Mata Vaishno Devi access you can hair taxi, auto rickshaw or go by foot from railway station to every destination of J&K
🚇By Road
- Katra is well-connected via buses/taxis from Jammu, Delhi, Chandigarh, and other nearby towns.
Registration of yatra
Yatra registration is mandatory for entry in Vaishno Devi according to guidelines. You can't enter Baan Ganga without yatra registration slip
Nowdays online registration is available on Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
Apart from this, you can also get yourself registered from the Yatra Registration Office in Katra with your valid photo ID but do not forget to take your Aadhar Card or Passport with you.
Tracking Route of Vaishno Devi
Vaishno Devi yatra is stats from Katra, you can climb from by foot, or hire horse, pony or mule. Must keep in mind that the hoursman, ponyman or mule with whom you traveling his contact n. Batch n. must be taken. It's necessary for security reasons.
battery-operated vehicles are also available from Ardhkuwari to Bhawn, for devotees who can’t walk the entire route
Total track distance from BanGnga to Bhawn is 13 kilometres.
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| Devotees are enjoying bath in sacred water of Baan Ganga |
BanGnga is the first stay of this journey. The distance between Ban Ganga and Katra is approximately
2k.m. on both sides of road are beautiful shops selling decorative items like toy's essential items, dry fruits and prasad. You will also find traditional items of J&K in these shop's. You can buy anything you want from here
You can also enjoy free langar run by t-series at Banganga premises
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| CharanCharan Paduka Temple, divine foot print of Maa Vaishno Devi inside the Temple |
Charn Paduka is a most important stop in this track, it's 1.5 k.m. far from BanGnga
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| Devotees resting at the courtyard of Ardhkuwari Temple |
The next stop of this journey is Ardhkunwari. You will reach Ardhkunwari after walking about 2 k.m. from Ban Ganga. You will get the facility of drinking water, refreshments and neet and clean toilet s etc. at various places on the way from Ban Ganga to Bhawan.
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| Very beautiful view of Hathi Matha, mountain in the shape of an elephant |
After walking about 2k.m. from Ardhkuwari there is steep climb of Hathi Mattha. Despite the difficulty devotees climb up chanting Jai Mata Di.From Ardhkuwari, you will find another route to see Himkoti. If you want, you reach Bhawan by Himkoti route, you will not find much climb here.
If you walk 2kms. further you will reach Sanjhi Chhat, if you want you can stop and rest for a while. There is a special arrangement for refreshments here. The Bhawan is visible from here. If you want you can also trevel from Katra to Sanjhi Chhat by helicopter.
Maa Vaishno Devi
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| Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Darbar (Trikuta Bhawan) on Trikuta Mountain, the center of faith of millions of devotees |
The heavenly and beautiful divine court of Maa Vaishno Devi is decorated at a distance of 2 km from Sanjhi Chhat. There is a locker room facility here. After taking rest for a while, take a bath and deposit your belongings in the locker room.
Take a chunari, gifts and prasad etc. for the mother as per your faith and go and have darshan of the divine court of the beloved mother, which is different from the world, where Maa Vaishno is waiting for you sitting in a beautiful cave.
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| Mata Vaishno Devi, the beautiful form of the Mother, waiting for her children in the waiting room |
Divine cave of Maa Vaishno Devi
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| Darshan of the divine idols of Maa Vaishno in the divinely beautiful cave |
The fatigue of climbing the hill to reach the Mother's temple brings a unique peace to the mind. Climbing the mountain, it feels as if I am taking each step towards heaven. Despite being treacherous, these paths seem so dear. I want to forget the world and settle here. Upon seeing the Mother inside this cave, all the fatigue of the journey vanishes. I feel like forgetting everything and staying here. Every time I visit the Mother, I have a different experience.
I have no words to praise my Mother. Whenever I go to the Mother's temple, I forget the entire world; only the Mother remains in my mind. I feel like getting lost in her.
How can I praise my Mother? After the darshan, if you wish to stay here, keeping time in mind, you can stay in the rest house.
There is a provision of blankets here. After depositing ₹ 100 per blanket, take as many blankets as you want and rest. After eating and drinking from the restaurant, start the journey further to Bhairav Valley. If you have trouble walking, you can go on a horse or you can also go to Bhairav Temple by ropeway.
🏯 Acomandations in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi
- There are many free and affordable places in Vaishno Devi where you can stay during the journey, such Niharika Bhawan, Ashirwad Bhawan in Katra, some free Sarai Ardhkumwari and Sanjhi Chhat in the middle of the journey. Apart from this, you also get free accommodation near the Bhawan, there is also arrangement for blankets etc.
- Shrine Board Guest Houses: Clean and budget-friendly, bookable online.
You can book online in advance
Tip: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi stays fill up fast during peak season — recommend early booking.
Essential tips
Don't shoot photographs
Don't cary heavy luggage
Wear comfortable cloth and shoes
Keep emergency number, and stay hydrated in the way.
For senior citizen's hire palkis.
Nearby attractions
Baba Dhansar Temple – a beautiful waterfall and shrine (10 km from Katra).
Patnitop Hill Station – perfect for a day
trip after darshan.
Kaul Kandoli Temple in Nagrota.
NaturesNature's warning - Cutting of trees and forests in large quantities, making new roads by cutting the mountains is very destructive, this is the reason of this devastation. Nature is warning us that there is still time, please stop this destruction in the name of development here, otherwise similar destruction will be seen 🙏 Request to the shrine board, all the roads and public facilities that are present are sufficient for running the Yatra smoothly, more greed than this is not good, please stop cutting the mountains, otherwise the consequences can be even more dire.
A special news - On 24th August 2025, a terrible accident happened near Ardhkumwari, 35-40 people lost their lives in the land slide and more than 80 people were injured, in view of which, as per the orders of the shrine board, the Vaishno Devi Yatra was stopped from 26th August, due to which the devotees were very upset, now there is good news for the pilgrims, the Yatra is being started again from 14th September.
FAQ's
Q1: What is the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra?
Ans1: The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra is a sacred pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, located in the Trikuta Hills of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It attracts millions of devotees annually seeking spiritual solace and blessings.
Q2: Who can undertake the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra?
Ans2: The pilgrimage is open to all devotees regardless of age or gender. However, pilgrims should be physically prepared for the trek and adhere to safety guidelines issued by authorities.
Q3: What are the main routes for the Yatra?
Ans3: The primary route begins from Katra, which is well-connected by road and rail. Pilgrims can choose between a challenging trek on foot or opt for pony or palanquin services.
Q4: How long does the Yatra typically take?
Ans4: The duration varies depending on individual pace and chosen mode of travel. On foot, it generally takes 4-6 hours to reach the shrine from Katra.
Q5: What facilities are available for pilgrims during the Yatra?
Ans5: Facilities include medical aid stations, food stalls, rest areas, accommodation options at various points along the route, and security arrangements for safety.
Q6: Are there any specific rituals or customs to follow during the pilgrimage?
Ans6: Pilgrims are expected to observe cleanliness, maintain decorum at holy sites, and participate in prayers and offerings as per local traditions.
Conclusion
Vaishno Devi Yatra is not only a religious journey but also an experience of spiritual peace amidst the serene Trikuta hills. With proper planning and devotion, keep chanting Jai Mata Di - Jai Mata Di on the difficult climb and difficult path, forget everything and get lost in the tune of Maa, see how smooth, memorable and spiritually uplifting your journey to this holy cave will be. And Maa will fill your bag with happiness - Jai Mata Di
The Vaishno Devi Yatra is not just a religious journey but also a soul-refreshing experience amid the serene Trikuta Hills. With proper planning and devotion, your pilgrimage to the holy cave will be smooth, memorable, and spiritually uplifting.When the devotees reach the court of the mother chanting Jai Mata Di - Jai Mata Di on the difficult climb and inaccessible path, they forget everything and get lost in the tune of the Conclusion
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