The Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district witnessed a sharp rise in pilgrim arrivals during the ongoing Shardiya Navratri, with over 3.81 lakh devotees visiting the holy cave since October 11, according to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. The number is expected to climb further around Dussehra, which has traditionally been one of the busiest periods for the pilgrimage.
Clear weather and festive celebrations in Katra, the base camp for the shrine, helped maintain a steady flow of devotees throughout the Navratri period. Large crowds have been seen along the pilgrimage route as well as at the Bhawan atop the Trikuta hills. "As many as 3.81 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi during the ongoing Shardiya Navratri till 2 pm today," a senior officer said, according to PTI.
Shardiya Navratri, celebrated during the autumn months, is one of the two major Navratri festivals observed during the year, the other being Chaitra Navratri.
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Officials said around 3.62 lakh devotees visited the shrine during the first eight days of the festival, while thousands more continued to make their way to the temple on Monday.
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The daily pilgrimage numbers remained high throughout the period. As many as 47,574 devotees visited the shrine on October 11, followed by 48,400 on October 12 and 46,558 on October 13. On October 14, the footfall stood at 41,961, while 39,951 pilgrims visited on October 15. The shrine received another 41,750 devotees on October 16, followed by 48,500 on October 17.
Officials said around 47,700 pilgrims registered for the yatra on October 18. By Monday afternoon, more than 20,000 devotees had already begun their journey towards the shrine.
Pilgrims continue to use various facilities available along the route, including helicopter services, battery-operated vehicles, ponies and pithus.
The Shrine Board has also put in place additional arrangements to manage the festive rush and assist devotees throughout the journey.
Special facilities have been provided for differently-abled pilgrims, including free pony and battery-car services, priority darshan and dedicated assistance desks.
Drinking water points, sanitation facilities and medical services have also been strengthened across the route, while emergency personnel have been stationed at important locations to respond quickly if required.
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Security measures have been stepped up in Katra, along the pilgrimage track and around the shrine complex to ensure the yatra proceeds smoothly.
The shrine and surrounding areas have also been decorated with flowers, fruits and lights to mark the festive period.
Meanwhile, the nine-day Shat Chandi Maha Yagya entered its ninth day, with Vedic prayers and rituals continuing at the Yagyashala inside the shrine complex.
The festive rush was also visible in Jammu, where more than two lakh devotees visited the Mata Kali temple, popularly known as Bawe Wali Mata, officials said.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta, Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma, and Punjabi actress Preeti Saproo were among those who offered prayers at the temple and sought peace and prosperity for Jammu and Kashmir and the country.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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