Jammu: Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha on Sunday flagged off the 24th ‘Pracheen Marg Pavitra Chhadi Yatra’ from the Kol Kandoli Temple, marking the ceremonial beginning of the traditional spiritual journey during the ongoing Navratri festivities.
The Lieutenant Governor participated in the ‘Pratham Pooja’ at the temple, paid obeisance, and prayed for peace, prosperity and well-being of the people. Carrying the sacred ‘jyot’, the Chhadi Yatra commenced along the ancient heritage route and is scheduled to reach the Oli Mata temple in Bamyal. Sinha also interacted with devotees and extended his greetings, highlighting the cultural and spiritual significance of the yatra in the region.
The Chhadi Yatra, which follows the traditional route to the shrine, holds special importance for devotees as it symbolises age-old devotion associated with the pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi Temple.
Meanwhile, the annual pilgrimage to the shrine resumed on Sunday after being temporarily suspended a day earlier due to an unprecedented rush of devotees. Officials said the yatra was halted on Saturday after more than 39,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the Bhawan till afternoon, leading to heavy congestion along the track and at the shrine.
“The yatra has resumed smoothly this morning, and registration has also restarted at Katra,” officials said, adding that arrangements have been strengthened to manage the continued influx of pilgrims.
The surge in footfall is attributed to the ongoing Chaitra Navratri, which began on March 19 and will continue till March 27. So far, nearly one lakh devotees have visited the shrine, with thousands more arriving daily to seek blessings.
Devotees, including families and elderly pilgrims, were seen chanting ‘Jai Mata Di’ as they trekked along the winding path leading to the cave shrine atop the Trikuta hills. The shrine and surrounding areas have been beautifully decorated with fresh flowers and illuminated with multi-coloured lights, creating a vibrant and devotional atmosphere.
To ensure safety and smooth conduct of the yatra, authorities have put in place multi-tier security arrangements at the Katra base camp and along the entire route to the shrine. Additional personnel have been deployed to regulate crowd movement and prevent overcrowding at sensitive points.
Officials said over 5,000 pilgrims were already on their way to the shrine after fresh registrations on Sunday, while efforts are being made to streamline queues and improve facilities for devotees.
Adding to the spiritual fervour, the sacred Shat Chandi Maha Yagya is also underway at the shrine, marking the auspicious beginning of Navratri celebrations. The ritual is drawing large participation and is considered highly significant during the festival period.
With improved arrangements and continued monitoring, authorities expressed confidence that the pilgrimage will proceed smoothly in the coming days despite the heavy rush.
