Around a million years old, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu region of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is one of the most preferred religious destinations of the country where lakhs of devotees not only from the country but also from other parts of the world visit every year to pay their obeisance.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is the only religious place where devotees in such large numbers visit each year. As per the official figures, a total of 9087486 devotees from different parts of the country and world visited Mata Vaishno Devi Temple in the year 2022.
The number of devotees visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple rose significantly in the year 2023 by over 7,00000. A total of 9728712 from across the country as well as from abroad visited Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple to pay their obeisance.
The number of devotees visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple this year in 2024 is most likely to surpass the number of previous two years which can be well assessed from the number devotees who have already visited the Maa Vaishno Devi Shrine in one and a half month of this year.
Moreover, 814774 devotees have already visited Maa Vaishno Devi Temple and paid their obeisance from January 1st till February 13th of this year.
The number of devotees visiting Mata Vaishno Devi Temple in one and a half month of this year also includes 360 foreigners.
Around 250 foreigners paid their obeisance at the most revered shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in January this year, while as 110 foreigners have so far visited Mata Vaishno Devi Temple and paid their obeisance from February 1st till February 13th of this year.
Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is one of the richest temples in India with annual receipts of almost $16 million according to some authors.
Vaishno Devi Temple, also known as the Vaishno Devi Bhavan, is a Hindu temple located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, and is dedicated to Vaishno Devi, a manifestation of Maa Durga.
Vaishno Devi Temple is a Hindu temple located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, dedicated to Vaishno Devi, a manifestation of Durga.
As per Hindu mythology, the Shakta traditions consider the Maa Vaishno Devi temple as one of the 52 Maha (major) Shakti Peethas dedicated to Maa Durga.
The Vaishno Devi temple is more than a million years old and its mention could be found in the holy Vedas and also in the Mahabharta.
A geological study of the Holy Cave of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi temple/shrine has indicated its age to be nearly a million years old. There is also a mention of the Trikuta hill in the Rigveda, the place where the temple is located in Katra.
Every year, millions of devotees visit the temple. Mata Vaishno Devi temple is one of the richest temples in India with annual receipts of almost $16 million.
The temple had received over 1,800 kgs of gold, 4,700 kilos of silver, and ₹2,000 crore (US$250 million) cash in the last two decades (2000-2020) as donation from the devotees of Mata Vaishno Devi from different parts of the country. Notably, the foreigners have also donated heavily for the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple.
The holy Shri Mata Vaishno Devi temple is governed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), chaired by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi temple is governed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB). The board was established under the Jammu and Kashmir state government Act No. XVI/1988, also known as Shri Mata Vaishno devi Shrine Act.
The board is chaired by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu & Kashmir. The LG also appoints nine board members for governing the Shrine and manage its day to day affairs.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi temple is situated at a height of 1,585 metres (5,200 ft) and is 12 kms from Katra town on Trikuta hill. It is about 61 kms from Jammu city.
The Mahabharata, which gives the account of the Pandavas and the Kurukshetra War, does mention the worship of goddess Vaishno Devi.
Before the Kurukshetra War, Arjuna is said to have worshipped Durga by the advice of Lord Krishna for seeking the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi, as per the Hindu mythology.
Pleased by his devotion, Mother Goddess appeared in front of him (Arjuna) in the form of Vaishno Devi. When goddess appeared, Arjuna started praising her with a stotra, in which a Shloka goes by saying ‘ Jambookatak Chityaishu Nityam Sannihitalaye ’, which means ‘you who always dwell in the temple on the slope of the mountain in Jambhu’ — probably referring to the present day Jammu.
Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Jagmohan had also said, “the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is an ancient one whose antiquity is pre-Mahabharathan”.
Lord Krishna is believed to have advised Arjuna to go up in the hills of ‘Jambhu’ and seek the blessings of Vaishno Devi before taking up arms in the battlefield. ‘Jambhu’ is identified with present-day Jammu.
Arjuna while worshiping Vaishno Devi, calls Her, the highest Yogin who is free from decrepitude and decay, who is the mother of the Vedas and the Science of Vedanta, who gives victory and is personification of victory itself.
It is also generally believed that the Pandavas were the first to build the temples at Kol Kandoli in Nagrota area of Jammu and a Bhawan in reverence & gratitude for the Mother Goddess.
It is believed that the holy pilgrimage of Mata Vaishno Devi is successful only if the devotee pays obeisance at Kol Kandoli, called as the first darshan of Mata Vaishno Devi.
On a mountain, just adjacent to the Trikuta Mountain and overlooking the Holy Cave are five stone structures, which are believed to be the rock symbols of the five Pandavas.
