New Delhi, July 18: The pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi has been temporarily suspended due to continuous adverse weather conditions and heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board announced on Saturday that the yatra will be halted from July 19 amid warnings of inclement weather.
Earlier, on July 8, the route to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi temple was affected by landslides, but the pilgrimage continued without disruption. Officials reported that heavy rainfall caused landslides on the Mata Vaishno Devi route located in the Trikuta hills of Katra town in the Reasi district.
As a result of the landslides, the battery car service was temporarily suspended; however, hundreds of pilgrims continued their journey despite the adverse conditions. Officials noted that a new route leading to the temple experienced landslides near Himkoti following the heavy rains.
The temple board promptly dispatched staff and machinery to clear the debris from the path. Mata Vaishno Devi, also known as Vaishnavi, Trikuta, and Sherawali, is considered a symbol of power in Hinduism, residing in the form of three self-manifested pindis, described as Devi Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, and Mahasaraswati.
Worshipped as a celibate, vegetarian ascetic associated with Vishnu, she is revered as a divine ‘Mata’ who protects her devotees and grants them blessings. In some regional traditions, she is also described as the eldest among the seven sisters of North Indian deities.
The Vaishno Devi temple is a highly revered Hindu pilgrimage site located at an altitude of 5,200 feet in the Trikuta mountain range of Jammu and Kashmir. Reaching the temple requires a 13-kilometer trek from the base camp city of Katra or a helicopter ride.
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