The holy town of Katra in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir came alive with divine energy on Sunday as the nine-day Shardiya Navratri festival got off to a spectacular start at the base camp of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
Thousands of devotees made a beeline for the glittering shrine atop the Trikuta hills to seek blessings. An unending stream of pilgrims set out on the trek amid foolproof, multi-tier security and AI-based surveillance. “All we want is darshan of Mata Rani .
From Darshani Deodi to Bhawan, every inch of the 13-km track is draped in sparkling lights and vibrant floral decorations of different varieties, wearing a festive look. Officials are expecting a massive footfall of over 50,000 pilgrims daily during the festival period. From dedicated volunteers to guide pilgrims and regulate rush, to round-the-clock medical kiosks, drinking water points, holding areas and an AI-driven crowd management grid – every step has been planned to ensure the 13-km trek to Bhawan is seamless, safe and spiritually enriching.
“This is not just the start of a nine-day festival; this is the start of a divine journey,” said Isha Verma, a pilgrim from Gujarat, echoing the sentiments of thousands who have converged here from across the country. “For the whole year we wait for Navratras so that we can visit the holy shrine to pay obeisance,” said Neha from Delhi, who came along with her family. It is Mata Rani’s aashirwad that pulls us every year to the cave shrine,” said Ishkaran Singh from Indore. Extending a warm welcome to devotees on the first day, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, CEO, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), said the Board has rolled out elaborate, foolproof arrangements to make this Navratri yatra not just safe, but truly comfortable, divine and memorable.
