Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Mar 30: Thousands of pilgrims flocked the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Trikuta hills, Reasi, as the nine-day holy Chaitra Navratri festival began on Sunday.
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While 48,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine on Saturday, the numbers are set to increase as serpentine queues were seen on Sunday from the base camp to the shrine.
Heavy security arrangements, including AI-enabled CCTV cameras and drones, have been deployed at the base camp of the Bhawan and along the route to avert any untoward incident.
“To ensure a trouble-free yatra, security and crowd management teams have been deployed en route from Katra to Bhawan and the Shrine Board has taken new initiatives to ease the pilgrimage for the devotees,” said Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, after attending the commencement of nine-day long Shatchandi Yagya amidst the Vedic hymns and performance of other religious ceremonies during ‘Navratra’ at the holy cave shrine.
CEO underscored that the Shrine Board has introduced several initiatives to enhance the pilgrimage experience, including smart lockers, free public call booths and complimentary slots for divyang devotees. To ensure comfort in all weather conditions, resting and holding areas have been set up at Banganga and Adhkuwari, while the Inderprasth Bhojanalaya at Adhkuwari has been expanded to cater 200 devotees. Furthermore, the Langar facility has been extended to Shubhra Bhawan at Banganga augmenting the existing Langar Sewa currently operational at Tarakote Marg, Sanjichhat, Adhkuwari and Bhairon with availability of fast-related food options for devotees observing fasts during the pilgrimage.
To mitigate fatigue and provide respite, resting cum holding areas have been established for devotees at Banganga and Adhkuwari. The Shrine Board has beautifully transformed the Bhawan, Atka and surrounding areas into a radiant spiritual oasis for warmly welcoming pilgrims visiting to pay obeisance at the sacred Shrine. The grand decorations feature an exquisite blend of indigenous and foreign fruits, flowers, majestic reception doors and elegantly designed track; besides, the Bhawan area has been illuminated with stunning colorful façade lights, creating a mesmerizing ambiance for devotees.
To ensure a seamless and comfortable pilgrimage experience, the Shrine Board has also made comprehensive arrangements including round-the-clock water and power supply along the tracks, sanitation facilities and medical care. Additionally, pilgrims can avail of facilities like battery-operated vehicles, passenger ropeway and helicopter services for hassle free journey.
As part of the Navratras celebrations, Shrine Board has also lined up captivating Bhajan and Bhaint performances by acclaimed artists during morning and evening Atka arti.
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