The Walk From Vaishno Devi (Bhavan) To Katra In Jammu And Kashmir State In India

The Walk From Vaishno Devi (Bhavan) To Katra In Jammu And Kashmir State In India

Having had fleeting glimpse of Goddess Vaishnodevi Ma I was out of temple premises well before 5.30 pm. Mind you the morning aarti is from 6.15 am to 8 am and evening aarti is from 6.15 to 8 pm. This was precisely the reason why there was no rush as I entered the temple premises well before the aarti was to commence. In the temple premises there is frisking at three stages and this is necessary as Jammu And Kashmir Is A Border State. While ascending from Katra well after Ardhkuwari there is frisking at three places. And this is in the interest of devotees. 

Announcement For Devotees To Set On Return Journey

Announcement about huge flow of devotees on way to Vaishno Devi (Bhavan) from Katra and those who had visited the sacred temple should vacate the area and set on return journey to Katra is audible. I head to Manokamna Bhawan Phase II and have two sets of coffee. The coffee without sugar can't be found. The coffee too is lukewarm given the rush Manokamna Bhawan is witnessing. There is Manokamna Bhawan Phase I as well where I find Mr Mulk Raj from Bharkh whom I met in October 2017 during my visit that time. When I told him about my previous visit and having given him Lord Venkateswara Picture he point blank refuses to recognise me and says he was not there in Manokamna Bhawan's Cash Counter in 2017. I move on with no hard feelings. The STD ISD PCO booth run by Air Tel is handy as calls can be made with no botheration to visit cloak room and take out your cell and post conversation deposit it in the cloak room. Mr Mahinder is running the phone booth and he is a real buddy. This time round I don't use cloak room as I am not carrying anything and descending and ascending the cloak room is a big ask. I made a suggestion way back in October 2017 that Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) should raise a cloak room next to JKM Bhojanalaya as this would bring comfort to Vaishno Devi Ma devotees. 

Starting From Vaishno Devi (Bhavan) For Katra

Post coffee and post call to Safdarjung Enclave residence I set on return journey to Katra. It was Mr  Shahnawaz who carried my luggage while descending from Vaishno Devi to Katra in October 2017. Before leaving I meet two men in khakhi hailing from Jharkhand State In India. I leave Vaishno Devi (Bhavan) at 6.27 pm. I meet a group from Kolhapur from Maharashtra State In India. There are boards on the way of shooting stone areas and devotees need to watch out for and continue walking. I meet a group which has one among its member wearing mundu (mundu is essentially worn in Kerala State In India) and members of this group are probably from Hindi Heartland ( Punjab). With no break I keep walking and reach Himkoti after 7 pm. I continue to walk and reach Ardhkuwari at 7.40 pm. All across the route I come across sanitation workers of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) clearing the path taken by devotees. The cleanliness drive by SMVDSB should be hailed. 

Here Walnuts And Walnuts With Cover Galore

Chilled drinking kiosks are handy. There is sighting of sole drum beater here and there and people take comfort listening to their beats. I take B Natural Fruit Drink and it brings spring to my step. There are nestle and coffee day outlets with none serving apple juice. From Ardhkuwari as well stores/shops far and wide are visible catering to varied taste. Here walnuts with cover galore and there are umpteen shops dealing with that. I sit for a while to take water and move on. By the time I reach Banganga it is 9.05 pm. I hail auto driven by Mr Sonu and reach Katra bus stand at 9.25 pm. Mind you the road from Banganga to Katra bus stand is not well lit and here administration needs to do something. I book flight ticket (GO AIR which has been rechristened as Go First) from Yatrika Tour And Travels (opposite Phawara Chowk, Near Durga Hotel) with Mr Rakesh Sharma doing the needful. Take room in Tilak Yatri Hotel with personnel Mr Biju extending all possible help. Later take Butter Milk and Idly from Jewels restaurant run by JKTDC (Jammu Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation). Butter milk was something to relish. I take bananas from fruit vendor and retire to my room. All through night I am not able to sleep despite being physically tired and leave the bed a little after 4.30 am to search for black tea. I take five sets of black tea with tea vendor Mr Rai Kumar Sharma showing the intent to prepare the same. While taking tea I came across buses headed to different centres in the States Of Punjab And Himachal Pradesh. I take breakfast from Luxmi Vaishno Dhaba comprising tomato potato vegetable, tandoori roti and plain curd. 

Thursday was a historic day as I not only reached Vaishno Devi (Bhavan) from Katra, the descent taking place few hours later and reaching Katra the same day. Thursday was historic for the umpteen occasions I gained fortitude to ascend and descend with Goddess Vaisho Devi guiding me every hour. The entire pilgrimage which started from Banganga at 2 pm, reaching Vaishno Devi (Bhavan) at 4.25, leaving Vaishno Devi (Bhavan) at 6.27,  reaching Banganga at 9.05 and Katra thereafter at 9.25 illustrated the trust I had in Goddess. 

We strive for peace be it in Congo or Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is in neighbourhood and there are lessons to take from this episode. Peace should reign each and every hour. 

Yedu Kondalwada Venkatramna Govinda Govinda