Travel Information
The
nearest Railway Station and Airport are at Jammu, at a distance of 50 Kms
from Base camp Katra. A regular bus services are plying from Railway Station,
Air port and General Bus Stand Jammu to Katra. Also number of Taxies, Tourist
vans, Deluxe Busses are available at these places. However number of inter
state busses are available for Katra from almost all the major cities of North
India.
The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is linked to the Base Camp Katra with a 13
Kms track. The entire uphill Journey from Katra to Bhawan is on foot, however,
one can hire ponies, palkies or pithoo for ease of journey.
Recently Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has started the air taxi services
between Jammu, Katra and Sanjichat at the normal rates.
Route of shri Mata Vaishno Devi
The 13 Kms hilly track between Katra and Bhawan contains number of ancient
temples and view-points for rest and enjoy natural beauty. The first stop
is at
Banganga, 1 Km away from
Katra where one can have holy
bath in the Banganga and have a Langer/Parshad (free food) run by famous T-series
Industries.
The second stop
Charanpadhuka is about 2.5 Kms away from Banganga.
It is believed that Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji took rest while moving towards
the Trikuta Hills. The place contains the foot prints of Goddess, and thus
the place is named Charanpadhuka Temple..
The third stop
Adkuwari is about 3 Kms from Charanpadhuka. Here one
can stay for night as half of the journey is over. At Adkuwari the devotees
can have Darshan of Adkuwari Temple and Gerbhjoon (an ancient Cave of about
20 feet). It is believed that Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji hide herself from
Bairon Nath in this cave for 9 months.
After a steep height of about 4 Kms from Adkuwari the fourth and last stop
is
Sanjichat. The Sanjichat is the highest place in the track. One
can enjoy the aerial view of Katra, Udhampur, Reasi and Jammu.
From Sanjichat about 2.5 Kms downhill track led to Bhawan the holy Shrine
of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. About 0.5 Kms from Bhawan on the Bahawan-Sanjichat
track an about 2 Kms link track lead to the
Bairon Nath Temple. The
track is further linked with Sanjichat though dense forest containing different
species of wild life such as Langoor, Monkeys and other wild birds.
For the ease of Journey the tourist must
• Register themselves at the booking counter
Katra and get the yatra slip
• Get permission for the video camera, if
interested.
• Check the identity card of the Pithoo,
Pony and Palki before hiring them.
• For ease of Journey Travel as light as
possible, since all the facilities are available on the track.
• Avoid the use of Polythene bag to protect
the environment.
• Throw the waste in the waste-boxes available.
• Walk on the track only and enjoy the beauty
of the nature. Wrong track can lead to disastrous results.
• While leaving for the Darshan of the Holy
Shrine, deposit your belongings at the clock rooms and get the receipt.
• Donations are to be made at the donation
counters and get the receipt duly signed.
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