Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 6: As the Shiv Khori cave shrine attracted a record 14.79 lakh pilgrims this year, the authorities are geared up to provide every possible facility to devotees to divert as many as pilgrims of Vaishno Devi towards other places of pilgrimages in the Reasi district.
Reasi, is now emerging as a tourist district as the Vaishno Devi shrine attracts over 1.1 crore and the Shiv Khori cave shrine is attracting 20 lakh annually.
“Shiv Khori is attracting a good number of devotees and since the start of Amar Nath Yatra, over 25 thousand devotees have paid obeisance at the Shiv Khori Shrine”, said Vice Chairman Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board, Rajinder Singh Tara. Aghar Jitto, Noaun Pandian, Baba Dhansar, Dera Baba Banda Bahudur and Shiv Khori are the holy shrines which have been developed to divert the maximum number of the pilgrims of Vaishno Devi towards the interior of Reasi district, he added.
After Vaishno Devi, Shiv Khori is the only religious place which has been attracting devotees from all over the country. According to official data, a record number of over 1479007 pilgrims visited the cave during current year.
“The yatra would touch the 25 lakh mark by the end of 2013”, Singh said, adding, “ at present, 5000 to 6000 devotees are visiting the cave shrine daily to pay obeisance and their numbers are increasing”.
Keeping in view the natural beauty, topography and significance of the area, the board is also making all-out efforts to develop the place as a popular tourist resort with infrastructure for the visiting pilgrims. A number of development works have been taken up by the Shiv Khori Shrine Board to provide facilities to the pilgrims.
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