Vaishno Devi Temple: Major Highlight of Jammu Tourism

Jammu is a destination that finds its place in the itineraries of every traveler heading to North India for tourism. It is a lovely place filled with countless tourist attractions including the Vaishno Devi. Head to the city on your next holiday and choose accommodations from the best Jammu Hotels.

Jammu is popularly known as the “Winter capital of Jammu & Kashmir”. Some travel to this particular destination for the purpose of pilgrimage while others do it for sightseeing, for honeymoon, or for sheer adventure. The availability of tourist attractions and allures is plentiful and that too in huge variation makes the place ideal for all. The Jammu Tavi railway station is the nearest to travel to this part of the region. It is the second last major railhead in the route of the trains heading to the north. The station after the Jammu Tavi railhead is the Udhampur railhead. From Srinagar, the capital of the state, it takes about 12 hours to reach Jammu by bus. Several J&K SRTC buses run on a regular basis between the two cities. They are the cheap modes of transportation to reach the city. The cost will be approximately Rs 150 per person. There are also Sumo Jeeps available that complete the journey in about 8 hours, and they charge Rs 200. Moreover, there exists an airport in the city, but it desperately needs modernization. Most of the major airlines offer flights to and from Jammu.

When in the city, a place that one ought to visit is the revered Vaishno Devi Temple. The place is not just a significant place because of its immense religious reverence but it is also an ideal place for sightseeing and to let go of all the mental stress. This temple is about 50 km from Jammu, and the best way to reach it is to reach Katra first and then trek to the temple. Katra is the nearest town to Vaishno Devi, about 12 km, and is widely known as the base camp for the pilgrims, and tourists visiting Vaishno Devi. Meanwhile, there are a couple of good 5 Star hotels in Jammu that provide transportation services to Katra.

Rephrasing the temple’s description, the Vaishno Devi temple is one of the most auspicious and revered Hindu temples in the world.  It is a major pilgrim gathering centrum and is one of the most visited places. Also referred to as Mata Rani, the temple is actually a cave shrine and houses the deity of the Hindu goddess Durga. According to facts, the number of visitors visiting the temple now exceeds ten million annually.  It is situated at an altitude of 5200 ft at the Trikuta Mountains and remains open for Darshan all around the year. There is no reference or records on when the temple gained its reverence.  However, the temple does find mentions in many of the ancient Hindu epics and scriptures.

There is a popular belief among the locals and the pilgrims that if one visits the temple with a clean-pure heart, the goddess fulfills his or her wish. One will often see devotees with red head-band with Jai Mata Ki written on them, and saying the chants of “Maan Aap Bulandi” and “Jai Mata Di”.

Jammu is a popular tourist destination.  It is one of the most sought-after destinations of the north and is home to a plethora of attractions. Head to the city for holidays that will relax you, and choose accommodations from top-rated Jammu hotels, if you seek an outright extravagant living.