Jammu: The holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi atop the Trikuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir reverberated with religious chants as nine-day Navratra commenced amid a heavy rush of devotees on the first day of the festival on Sunday.
Despite inclement weather conditions, pilgrims continued to arrive in large numbers to seek the blessings of the goddess Mata Vaishno Devi, creating an atmosphere of deep devotion and spiritual fervour, an official said.
He, however, said owing to adverse weather conditions, helicopter services remained suspended for the day.
Despite the disruption, devotees continued their pilgrimage, while the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board put special arrangements in place for the safety and the smooth movement of pilgrims, the official said.
Devotees visiting the shrine expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made by the Board, particularly the floral decorations and the crowd management.
Pankaj Kumar, a devotee from Bihar, said he has been visiting the shrine on the first day of Navratri for eight consecutive years and feels spiritually fulfilled after every visit.
He appreciated the arrangements and said that despite lakhs of devotees visiting the shrine, pilgrims are not facing any major inconvenience.
Puja, a resident of Delhi who was visiting the shrine during Navratri for the first time, described the experience as “divine” and praised the Board for allowing local artists to decorate the Bhawan. “Such initiatives will help promote local art and enable it to reach a wider audience.”
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Udhampur-Reasi range) Shiv Kumar Sharma conducted a joint security review of Katra town along with the Army and Central Armed Police Forces to assess preparedness for the expected influx of devotees visiting the Shrine.
The DIG directed officers to maintain high alertness, intensify patrolling, ensure effective coordination and regulate pilgrim movement.
The Navratra festival will begin at 7:30 pm on Sunday at Yog Ashram Ground, Katra — the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the shrine and shall culminate on October 19.
Cultural programmes with a multimedia exhibition will begin at 8:30 pm daily at Govt Higher Secondary School, Katra, which will also host one-day Hasya Vyang and Kavi Sammelan events. From the second Navratra, a Shobha Yatra with 15 illuminated jhankies will leave Asia Chowk daily at 5:30 pm.
A wrestling competition is slated for October 18 at the Sports Stadium, Katra, and a ‘Mata Ka Jagran’ (all-night devotional ceremony) will be held at Raghunath Mandir Chowk, Jammu, the official said.
Shat Chandi Maha Yagya commences
Jammu: The nine-day Shat Chandi Maha Yagya commenced at the holy Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine atop Trukuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, marking the beginning of ShardiyaNavratras amid religious fervour and spiritual devotion, an official said.
The sacred Yagya, organised by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) for universal peace, prosperity, harmony and the well-being of humanity, commenced with traditional vedic rituals and chanting of sacred hymns at the Yagyashala situated at the holy shrine, a spokesman of the board said.
He said the religious ceremony will continue throughout the nine-day Navratra festival and culminate with Purnahuti on Mahanavami.
Devotees can witness the proceedings live on Shraddha MH One channel daily from Noon to 2 pm throughout the Navratras, the spokesman said.
As many as 47,346 pilgrims paid obeisance at the shrine on the first day of the festival.
Chief Executive Officer, Shrine Board, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, who participated in the Yagya, interacted with pilgrims to assess the arrangements and expressed satisfaction with the facilities being provided at both Bhawan and Katra.
As per directions of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha who is also chairman of the Shrine Board, several inclusive and facilitative measures have been implemented to enhance the pilgrimage experience.
These included complimentary pony and battery car services for differently-abled devotees, priority access to darshan at the sanctum sanctorum and the establishment of dedicated help desks at key locations to assist pilgrims at large, the spokesman said.
Besides, he said comprehensive arrangements have been put in place to ensure a safe, smooth and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage experience for devotees arriving from different parts of the country and abroad.
