Vaishno Devi Temple

Vaishno Devi Temple, also known as the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple and Vaishno Devi Bhavan, is a Hindu mandir (temple) located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, dedicated to Vaishno Devi, a manifestation of Durga. It is located on the Trikuta mountain at 5,000 feet / 1,500 meters elevation. The Shakti tradition considers it to be a Shakti Pitha. The temple is governed by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) and has been chaired by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir since August 1986.

It is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimage sites in north India, with millions of devotees visiting the temple annually. In 2018, the Vaishno Devi shrine reported that it had received 8.5 million pilgrims that year.

History
Although the Vaishno Devi temple is now the most popular Devi shrine in the region, its popularity is relatively recent. In 1971, when Inderjit Bhardwaj did a study of Devi shrines in the Siwalik mountains, he did not mention the Vaishno Devi temple as particularly important. Its popularity increased rapidly after an expansion was done in 1976 so that it could accommodate up to 5,000 visitors per day. By 1981, annual visitors to the shrine were about 900,000; by the early 1990s, the number had increased to over 3 million, and the Vaishno Devi temple had become by far the most popular Devi temple in the region. By 2007, the annual number of pilgrims was about 7.5 million. In June 2007, in order to reduce congestion and improve security, the Shrine Board reduced the limit on the number of visitors allowed per month.

The Vaishno Devi temple was in existence by 1846, when Maharaja Gulab Singh established the Dharmarth Trust to manage several temples in his territory; the Vaishno Devi temple was part of this trust. The trust remained in the hands of Gulab Singh's descendants after independence, and his descendant Karan Singh was responsible for administering the temple as the hereditary trustee until 1986, when Jagmohan, then governor of Jammu and Kashmir, passed legislation transferring control of the Vaishno Devi temple from the Dharmarth Trust and the hereditary priests to a separate Shrine Board.

Mythology
The temple, at a height of 1585 m is 12 km from Katra on Trikuta hill. It is about 61 km from Jammu city. A geological study of the Holy Cave has indicated its age to be nearly a million years. There is also a mention of the Trikuta hill in Rigveda, the place where the temple is located.

The Mahabharata, which gives the account of the Pandavas and the Kurukshetra War, does mention the worship of goddess Vaishno Devi. Before the Kurukshetra War Arjuna is said to have worshipped Durga by the advice of Lord Krishna for the blessings. Pleased by his devotion, Mother Goddess appeared in front of him in the form of Vaishno Devi. When goddess appeared, Arjuna started praising her with a stotra, in which a Shloka goes by saying ‘ Jambookatak Chityaishu Nityam Sannihitalaye ’, which means ‘you who always dwell in the temple on the slope of the mountain in Jambhu’ — probably referring to the present day Jammu. Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Jagmohan says, "the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is an ancient one whose antiquity is pre-Mahabharathan, Lord Krishna is believed to have advised Arjuna to go up in the hills of 'Jambhu' and seek the blessings of Vaishno Devi before taking up arms in the battlefield. 'Jambhu' is identified with present-day Jammu. Arjuna while worshipping Vaishno Devi, calls her highest yogi who is free from decrepitude and decay, who is the Mother of the Vedas and the Science of Vedanta and who is giver of Victory and personification of victory itself". It is also generally believed that the Pandavas were the first to build the temples at Kol Kandoli and Bhawan in reverence and gratitude for the Mother Goddess. On a mountain, just adjacent to the Trikuta Mountain and overlooking the Holy Cave are five stone structures, which are believed to be the rock symbols of the five Pandavas.

It is said that Bhairon Nath, a famous Hindu Tantric, saw the young Vaishno Devi at an agricultural fair and fell madly in lusty love with her. Vaishno Devi fled into Trikuta hills to escape his amorous advances, later she turned into her original form of Durga and cut off his head with her sword in a cave.
 * The appearance of Vaishno Devi to Shridhar and the story of Bhairon Nath

According to author Manohar Sajnani, Hindu mythology holds that the original abode of Vaishno Devi was Ardh Kunwari, a place about 6 km between Katra town and the cave.

Deities
The three icons — Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati, all images of Vaishno Devi are worshipped at the temple. The feet of the icons are washed by the water brought from the perennial flowing river Banganga.

Worship
Author Abha Chauhan identifies Vaishno Devi as the incarnation of Durga. Author Pintchman identifies with great goddess Mahadevi and says Vaishno Devi contains all powers and is associated with the entire creation as Mahadevi. Author Pintchman also says that, "Pilgrims identify Vaishno Devi with Durga — whome Punjabis (and others) also name Seranwali, "the Lion-rider"— more than with any other goddess". The temple is sacred to both Hindus and Sikhs. Many prominent saints such as Swami Vivekananda have visited the temple.

The temple receives an estimated annual $16 million according to some authors and has received over 1,800 kgs of gold, 4,700 kilos of silver, and inr 20000000000 cash in the last two decades (2000-2020) as donation.

Festivals
The most prominent festivals held at Vaishno Devi Temple are Navaratri, a nine nights festival celebrating Devi's victory over evil demons and Diwali, a festival of lights symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

The Navaratri festival is a festival celebrated during the month of Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. The festival lasts for nine nights (ten days); artists from all over the country perform during the function at Vaishno Devi darbar. Due to COVID-19 pandemic Shrine Board also started delivering Prasāda for the devotees who are unable to come to the temple by collaborating with Postal Department of India.

Devotees of all faiths and all schools of thought of Hinduism visit the Vaishno Devi Temple.

On 1 January 2022, 12 people were killed and 16 were left injured after a stampede occurred while thousands of pilgrims rushed to the mandir on the first day of the new year.

Administration and visit
The Vaishno Devi Temple was included in the Jammu and Kashmir Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Act No. XVI/1988 and also part of Article 26 of the Constitution of India. The board name is Shri Mata Vaishno devi Shrine Board. There are nine members in the board; all are nominated by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly by Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir is the ex-officio chairman of the board. In 1991, Shri Mata Vaishno devi Shrine Board management also took the control of Shiv Khori, a famous Shiva temple.



Shrine Board have also constructed guest houses such as Vaishnavi Dham, Saraswati Dham, Kalika Dham, Niharika Yatri Niwas, Shakti Bhawan and Ashirwad Bhawan near the Railway station and Bus stand at Katra.

During the winter season from the month of December to January the Vaishno Devi Temple is covered with snow.