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Background
The surroundings of the three-peaked mountain named Trikuta echoes round the year with the chants of "Munh mangi muradein puri karne wali Mata," literally translated to a mother who fulfills her children's wishes, no matter what. This mother goddess is said to reside in the Holy Cave nestled in the folds of Trikuta. It is believed that the Goddess manifested herself here in the form of three natural rock formations, known as three Holy Pindies. These Pindies symbolize energy manifestations of Goddess Shakti's three states, i.e., Maha Kali, Maha Saraswati, and Maha Lakshmi. Devi Bhagwat Puran lists this peeth among 64 Shakti peetha. Amazingly, all the pindis are different in color and texture despite originating from the same rock. The pale white stone represents Goddess Saraswati, lying on the extreme left. In the middle lies the yellow-red gem indicating Goddess Lakshmi. The rock on the left side is black, representing Goddess Kali. Hindus have unwavering faith in their collective manifestation in the shape of Goddess Vaishno Devi.
History
Maa Vaishno Devi, the presiding deity in the Trikuta mountain, has her origin in Hindu mythology. In Treta Yuga (a time period in Hindu mythology), Goddess Vaishno Devi, incarnated as a beautiful princess, was guided by spirituality within her. An ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, she vowed to remain celibate. Bewitched by her beauty, Bhairon Nath, a Tantrik, ran after her. During the chase, she entered a shelter and performed meditation and penances in the cave of Trikuta mountain. After nine months, Bhairon Nath arrived at Ardhkuwari cave, looking for her and threatening the Goddess. By the end of her penance, Maa Vaishno Devi had merged into the astral form of three divine energies, viz., Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati. She then took the form of Mahakali and beheaded Bhairon Nath. In his dying moments, he pleaded for Mata's forgiveness. A temple of Bhairon Nath stands where his severed head fell.
Board a whopper chopper
In Vaishno Devi, you don’t just have to be satisfied with fleecy white clouds overhead; you can actually be in them. The pilgrims can take a helicopter service to reach the shrine, for which a prior two months booking is required. The service is available from Katra to Sanjhchatt, from where the holy shrine is a 5 km trek away. The ride is open for all age groups and lasts for 8 minutes. In these 8 minutes, the splendid aerial view of the site and the whispers of the rustling wind leave you spellbound and give you a rush of adrenaline. All in all, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Fight the height like a knight
Though you can enjoy horse rides at numerous places, nothing even comes close to riding a horse on your way up to the Vaishno Devi. The very thought of riding a horse on an approximately 1500 m high route cut through cliffs is elating. Feel no less than a knight mounted on horseback and ascending the altitude. Participate in the activity at Ban Ganga base camp, and up you go to Vaishno Devi cave. However, one must only take up this activity under the supervision of an expert. During this enthralling journey, challenge your fear of height only to witness the unmatched vistas of mountains. It is a win-win activity where you get enthralled by the experience and magnetized by the scenery you encounter en route to this adventure.
Raft the Rapids
If you think Vaishno Devi is just a pilgrimage site, think again, as the place is a den for daredevils. The base campsite Katra boasts of one of the most thrilling rafting stretches worldwide. Undertake this exhilarating adventure in the icy cold waters of River Chenab. The 15 km of white water rafting stretch pumps up your epinephrine and satiates your thirst for the thrill. You don’t have to be an ace rafter to navigate the raft, as even beginners equipped with proper safety equipment and guided by professionals can indulge in rafting here. So fill the colors of adventure in your monotonous life and swish past whirling waves.
Tourist Places and Sightseeing in Vaishno Devi
Ardhkuwari Cave
Halfway through the main shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi lies Ardhkuwari Cave. Also known as Garbajoon Cave, this 52 ft long cave is where Mata did her penance for nine months before annihilating Bhairon Nath. The cave name Ardhkuwari is said to have come from Adi Kumari, meaning ‘The Eternal Virgin.’ The cave en route to the main Vaishno Devi Bhawan acts as a stopover on pilgrimage for devotees to pay their obeisance to the deity. Situated 6 km away from the holy temple of Vaishno Devi, the Ardhkuwari cave resembles a mother’s womb in shape and is therefore famously called Garbajoon Cave. It is a locally held belief that in Ardhkuwari, Mata Vaishno Devi took the form of Maha Kali after meditating here for nine months before making Vaishno Devi Bhawan her eternal abode. One can only reach the innermost region of the cave by crawling on the knees. Once there, you will find an altar dedicated to Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati.
Baba Dhansar
Baba Dhansar Temple lying in Karua village, approximately 15 km from Katra, is built to commemorate the worship of Baba Dhansar, and its commanding deity is Lord Shiva. Baba Dhansar was the son of Vasudev, the human incarnation of Lord Shiva’s serpent. According to the legend, Baba Dhansar’s worship of Lord Shiva helped the village of Karua get rid of a demon who was terrorizing them. After this event, the temple was built at the site. Near the temple, a huge spring emerges from the rocks in a thick grove of trees and forms a cluster of small waterfalls cascading into a holy rivulet, which merges with the river Chenab. Close to this rivulet is a naturally formed Shivling on top of which milky water droplets constantly fall all year round—devotees in a considerable number gathered here on the eve of Shivratri.
Raghunath Temple
Located 18 km from the base of Vaishno Devi Shrine is a 19th-century temple called Raghunath Temple. Along the embankment of the Tawi River in the heart of Jammu City, this temple is a symbol of purity and prosperity. Maharaja Gulab Singh initiated the construction of this marvelous temple. Later, his son, Maharaja Ranbir Singh, took charge of its completion. The temple takes pride in being the largest shrine complex in North India. The complex consists of seven temples, each consisting of its own Shikhara (lofty spires). The royal temple has many gods and goddesses enshrined, but the presiding deity is Lord Ram. As such, the central temple is dedicated to him. The temple is an architectural wonder built by combining two great architectural styles. Gold sheets wrap the inner walls of this main temple on three sides. While the carvings and arches being exceptionally resplendent show the influence of Mughal style, the towers or Shikharas offer a glimpse of Sikh architecture.
Ban Ganga
Ban Ganga, a tributary of River Chenab, has a great reverence among Hindus. It is a sacred river that acts as a pit stop in the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage. The river gets its name from a mythological legend that states that when Vaishno Devi was heading to her cave, she found her companion, Langoor Veer (monkey), very thirsty. To quench his thirst, she shot an arrow in the ground, and a spring sprang up, which is famous as Ban Ganga today. Since Ban means arrow, hence the name Ban Ganga. It is also called Bal Ganga (Bal meaning hair) after another legend, according to which the Goddess washed her hair here. Such is the sanctity of the river; it is also known as the twin of Gang. It is considered necessary that devotees take a dip in its waters before continuing their pilgrimage to Mata’s abode.