Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 2: About 2.08 lakh pilgrims performed darshan of natural pindies of Goddess Vaishno Devi in the holy cave shrine located between Trikuta hills in Katra town of Reasi district during eight Navratras, which ended today.
“During Navratras, 2,08,630 devotees visited the holy cave shrine but the number was less by 1,27,564 as compared to the Navratras last year,” official sources said, adding that during Navratras last year 3,36,194 pilgrims had performed darshan of the Goddess.
During first nine months of this year i.e. till September 30, 62,62,736 pilgrims visited the cave shrine as against 72,62,036 during corresponding period last year, a reduction of 9,99,300 this year.
In the month of September alone, when the State was hit by worst ever floods, the yatra went down by 4,12,321. While 4,19,862 pilgrims paid obeisance to the Goddess in September this year, the number was 8,32,183 in September 2013.
On Thursday, on the eve of Ashtami, eager to offer coconuts, ‘chunris’, bangles, vermilion and other religious items, devotees in serpentine queues were seen waiting for their turn outside the cave shrine to seek the deity’s blessings, SMVDSB CEO Dr Mandeep K Bhandari said.
“It is believed the devotees who pray and fast during the auspicious occasion are blessed by the divine mother,” Raj Kumar, a devotee from Gandhi Nagar said.
“Prayers during Navratra hold special significance as they are answered by the Goddess Durga if offered with a true heart,” said Anjali another devotee from Nagpur.
At cave shrine, Shat Chandi Yagya will conclude on Friday. It is believed that the Shat Chandi Yagya with samputit path is the worship of Goddess as mother and samputit enhances the auspiciousness of the Chandi path and eradicate entire problems of life. It is performed to attract the attention of Goddess Durga, and ask for her help and blessings in life. The yagya with samputit path is one of the forms of devotion (bhakti) and performed with admiration and modesty to please the Goddess.
At base camp Katra, Bhagwat Katha concluded with a special prayer today in which CEO SMVDSB, Director Tourism Jammu, Soujanya Sharma, SDM Katra with large number of devotees participated.
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