Over 1.86 lakh pilgrims pay obeisance in six days of Navratras at Vaishno Devi Shrine

Jammu, Sept 28: Over 1 point 86 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi during six days of ongoing Navratras at Katra in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. ‘’Katra town witnessed heavy rush of pilgrims in the first three Navratras but so far in six Navratras, over 1.86 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the holy cave,’’ an official here told UNI. He said 1,86,279 pilgrims from across the country and the within the state visited Katra and paid obeisance at the cave shrine so far in first six Navratras. An official further said on September 21 (figure in thousands), 21,126 pilgrims, on September 22, 27,589 pilgrims, on September 23, 40, 078 pilgrims, on September 24, 34,068 pilgrims, on September 25, 34,066 pilgrims and on Sep 26, 29,352 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine. As per data available on official website of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board from January to August ending this year, 5,144, 998 lakh pilgrims visited to Katra comprising highest in the month of June with 11,84, 898 lakh pilgrims followed by May with 9,10,843 lakh pilgrims. In view of summer vacations across the country, these two months every year witness heavy rush of pilgrims, they said. In the current year in January (figure in lakhs) 4,54,118 pilgrims, in February 3,28,230 pilgrims, in March, 6,84,663 pilgrims, in April, 8,00,813 pilgrims, in July, 7,81,433 pilgrims and in August, 6,31,645 pilgrims had darshan of the natural ‘pindies’. However, in 2016, in total 77.23 lakh pilgrims visited to Katra and paid obeisance at the cave shrine. ‘’Not only the Shrine Board but the people of Katra and Jammu, where number of businessmen and shopkeepers are dependent on pilgrim tourism, were also jubilant over sudden increase in number of the pilgrims to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine during the Navratras,’’ he added. There had been steep decline in number of yatris visiting the Bhawan in the past four years of 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 as compared to 2011 and 2012 when the pilgrimage had crossed 10 million mark, said an official. UNI