Thursday 8 September 2011

Jammu to Katra - Mata Vaishno Devi Ji


Jammu to Katra - Mata Vaishno Devi Ji
Passengers using Air or Rail as a mode of travel have necessarily to break their journey at Jammu and from thereon select an alternative mode of transport. However for passengers traveling by road, either through public or own transport, there is an option of taking a by-pass from Kunjwani, nearly 10 kms. off Jammu and heading straight for the base camp i.e Katra.


The option of a halt at Jammu is thus entirely with the yatri although many yatries would like to spend more time in Jammu and visit the temples and other landmarks there.

If one is coming by his own vehicle and does not wish to halt at Jammu, he can head straight on National Highway No.1A. At a point nearly 35 kms. from Jammu, called Domel, the road branches off into two; while one road heads towards Srinagar the other leads to Katra

At the moment no train services are available between Jammu and Katra. However, work on the Jammu-Katra rail link is underway and Katra is likely to emerge on the rail map shortly.

The distance between Jammu and Katra is approximately 50 km. Ordinary and luxury buses are available from Jammu to Katra at a frequency of 10-15 minutes. While ordinary buses can be boarded from the State Road Transport Bus Stand around 1 km from Jammu Railway Station, luxury buses are available from just outside the Railway Station. It takes around 2 hours to cover the 50 km stretch from Jammu to Katra. The terrain is hilly and winding and passengers often experience nausea and vomiting.

Private Taxies for Katra are available from the Jammu Tawi Railway Station and Jammu Airport. The official rates range between Rs. 500-800 for one way travel depending upon the make of the vehicle. For Cars or Vehicles with a sitting capacity of 4-5 persons, the rates are around Rs. 500-650 while larger vehicles like Jeeps, Vans etc. having larger sitting capacity charge in the range of Rs. 650-800. Many operators also offer taxies on a per seat basis. As with many other tourist destinations, it is not uncommon for passengers to be accosted at the Airport or the Railway station by taxi drivers. It is advisable to check the officially approved rate (the same is subject to periodic revisions) and insist on paying only the approved rate. A taxi would normally take 70-80 minutes to reach Katra from Jammu.

Vehicles are usually stopped on the way by security personnel for security checks. All visitors are therefore requested to cooperate with the authorities and comply with the security formalities.


Katra town

Located at an altitude of about 2500 feet above sea level, Katra is the base camp for the Yatra to the Holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji. This is the last point uptill which any type of modern transport can go (except the recently started Helicopter service, which takes the pilgrims right till Sanjichhat, just a couple of kilometers from the Holy Shrine). Therefore, for all practical purposes, Katra serves as the base camp. From here a trek of around 12 kms takes a pilgrim to the Holy Shrine. One can undertake this trek on foot or on horses/ponies or on palanquins (palkies or dolies). While most of the pilgrims prefer to go on foot, some who find it difficult to negotiate the climb hire a pony or a palanquin.

All visitors are required to register themselves before undertaking the trek. This is done at the Yatra Registration Counter (YRC) situated at the Bus Stand where the registered yatris are issued a Yatra Slip, free of cost. This is a mandatory requirement and without a valid Yatra Slip pilgrims are not allowed to proceed beyond Yatra Parchi Check Counter at Banganga. This is necessary to regualte the Yatra at Bhawan and also on the track. This Yatra Slip is to be preserved as the same coveres devotees with an insurance cover against any untoward casualty due to accidents, to the tune of Rs.1,00,000 for majors and Rs. 25,000 for minors.

Facilities at Katra

Katra serves as the base camp for the Yatra. It is also the point where yatries halt for a while and make preparations for the trek to the Holy Shrine. In order to cater to the requirements of the yatries, a wide variety of facilities are available in and around Katra.

Accommodation

For the benefit of the pilgrims, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board provides clean, well maintained and very economical accommodation at Niharika Yatri Niwas and Shakti Bhawan situated at bus stand, Katra. Rooms, both air conditioned and Non air conditioned are available. In addition, dormitory accommodation at Rs. 50/- per bed is available in Shakti Bhawan (Niharika complex). Another 500 bedded accommodation in Sarai building is under construction near the 2nd Yatra counter (YRC II) and is expected to be available shortly. In all the accommodation facilities provided by Shrine Board, there is an additional facility of a hygienic, no profit no loss Bhojanalayas, Souvenir Shop and a free cloak room. Free parking of private vehicles is also allowed.

Accommodation for all Shrine Board Guest houses/dormitories can be booked (subject to availability) at the reception of these guest houses or at the Enquiry and Reservation counter at Niharika complex. Advance reservation is possible by sending a demand draft of the required amount to the Chief Executive Officer/Dy, Manager (E&R) payable at Katra.

Free Accommodation

In addition to the above facilities provided by Shrine Board on no profit no loss basis, there is also a provision for basic accommodation for yatries on an absolutely FREE basis. This accommodation is available in Niharika complex and near Yatra Parchi counter II (YRC-II). Besides accommodation, blankets are also provided free of cost. During days of rush additional free accommodation is also made available to the Yatries in the Niharika complex itself.

Other Accommodation facilities

There are various Sarais/Dharamshalas in Katra, which provide good accommodation to the pilgrims, either free of cost or at a nominal price. While some of them do provide facilities to the pilgrims, many of these places have passed in the hands of certain people with vested interests who insist on the pilgrims buying offerings from their own shops located in the premises of these Sarais. Pilgrims should be careful of such elements as they tend to sell items at a price many times higher than their original value.

There are various lodges, Guest Houses, ordinary and luxury hotels, Cottages, Resorts and all types of accommodation facilities available too, which provide accommodation to the devotees. Pilgrims have a wide range to choose from depending upon their taste and budget.

Food and Refreshment

Katra has all types of vegetarian restaurants and dining places. Being a religious place, almost all these restaurants and catering outlets provide pure vegetarian food to the pilgrims in which even onion and garlic is not used. Pilgrims are also requested to preserve and uphold the sanctity of the Holy place and desist from demanding non vegetarian meals or alcohol from any outlets.

General items of use

Provision, General and Medical stores are available all over Katra as also at Adkuwari and Bhawan.

Parking of private vehicles

Sufficient parking spaces are available in and around Katra. Other than the general bus stand, chartered and private buses can be parked at the second bus stand near Yatra Registration Counter No.2 located on Udhampur road. The Shrine Board provides free parking facility in its various complexes. This facility is however open only to bonafide users of the complexes.

Cloak Room facility

Considering that many yatries would like to leave behind their excess luggage in Katra before undertaking the Yatra, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has provided for free cloak room facility in all its guest houses/ lodging places. Cloak room facility is also offered by many hotels and lodges. Certain private Sarais, shops and establishments also claim to offer such facilities but yatries are advised to reassure themselves of the credentials of the service provider before entrusting their luggage to them. In particular, video cameras and mobile phones, besides other electronic equipment are not allowed on the track for security reasons. Yatries must make adequate arrangement for the safe keeping of such equipments before embarking on the yatra

Railway Reservation

A computerized Railway Reservation Counter has been opened in the Niharika complex near the main bus stand. Through this Railway Reservation facility, reservations to and from any railway station can be now availed of at this counter. The infrastructural and logistical support to this Centre is being provided by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

Communication

STD/ISD/PCO booths function all over Katra, along the track and right uptill Bhawan. A few of them are open for all 24 hours. Post and telegraph facilities are also available at Katra, Adkuwari and Bhawan. Katra also has a Speed Post facility to/from major destinations. A few cyber cafes are also functional.

Souvenirs and Publications

Those who wish to purchase Souvenirs and momentos may do so from the Souvenir Shops of the Shrine Board, located at Katra. Various kinds of Prashad, cassettes, books, chunnies and cholas are available on no profit basis. Similar outlets are also available at Bhawan, Sanjichhat, Adkuwari and Vaishnavi Dham at Jammu

Police

There is a Police station at Katra as well as Bhawan, besides police posts at Banganga and Adkuwari.

Banking

Many nationalized banks have their branches at Katra. The State Bank of India, Bank of Punjab and J&K Bank also provide ATM facilities at Katra. Many more banks including ICICI Bank, UTI Bank are in the process of installing their ATMs here. The J&K Bank and the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) have their branches at Bhawan also.

Medical Facilities

While no specific medical certificate is needed to undertake the Yatra, those suffering from heart, breathing or similar ailments are advised to proceed with the Yatra only after due medical checkup and advice. Cardiac, asthmatic and orthopedic problems are known to get aggravated due to the strenuous climb. To the medical needs of the yatries there is a block hospital at Katra as well as a 24 hours charitable dispensary run under the aegis of the Shrine Board. Emergency needs can be taken care of by basic medical facilities at Banganga, Adkuwari, Sanjichhat and Bhawan. Oxygen cylinders and emergency drugs are also available. Specialized and advanced medical treatment is however available only at Jammu.

Holy Places Enroute

Darshani Darwaaza

The entry gate to the track is around 1 km from the bus stand at a point known as Darshani Deodhi (meaning entrance) or Darshani Darwaza (meaning gate). Legend says that Mata Vaishno Devi met Pandit Shridhar at this spot in the form of a girl child. This is also known as Darshani Darwaza because from here one gets a complete view of the Trikuta parbat (mountain). The term Darshan stands for view; hence symbolically this is the first Darshan of the Yatra. This spot is at 2800 feet above sea level.

There are two gates at this point; the first or the older gate leads to a flight of stairs; the second or the newer one has been developed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board as a grand colonnaded porch with adequate parking for private vehicles. The army assistance counter is also located here.

One can either walk up to the Darshani Darwaza on foot or hire an auto rickshaw. The charges are Rs. 5/- per person on a sharing basis and Rs.15-20 for the full rickshaw. If one has his own vehicle one can drive up to the new gate, adjacent to the Darshani Darwaza and leave it parked there. But one is strongly advised to lock it properly and to remove all the valuables before leaving it behind. Parking is at the owner’s risk.

The Shrine Board also runs a free bus service to and fro from the bus stand to Darshani Darwaza. This service runs at a frequency of half an hour. This facility can also be availed of by the pilgrims.

Banganga

After the Police Check Post and Yatra Parchi Check Post, the pilgrims reach a small bridge under which flows Banganga, the legendary river associated with the miracles and legends of Mata. There is water in the river all through the year except when there is an acute shortfall of rain or snow during the monsoon and winter respectively. It is considered sacred and as is normal Hindu tradition, devotees like to bathe in it before proceeding further. In the changed times, many pilgrims prefer to skip the traditional bath, but those having the time or those who are traditionally inclined and wish to follow the legends and traditions, would like to have a dip before proceeding further. There are a couple of Ghats built too, for this purpose. The first one is normally very crowded and the other is comparatively more spacious.

The name of this river comes from two terms, Ban and Ganga. Ban means Arrow and Ganga stands for the sacred river Ganges. It is believed that Mata Vaishno Devi, while on her way to the Holy Cave, created this water body with an arrow from her quiver, hence the name Banganga. It is also said that she had taken a dip in it and had washed her hair here. Thus some people also prefer to call it Bal Ganga, the term Bal meaning hair in Hindi.

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