Katra/Jammu, Jan 13: The revered natural cave at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, was opened for devotees on Tuesday in celebration of Makar Sankranti. The doors of the cave were unlocked following special prayers attended by Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
The natural cave within the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine is typically opened during winter months when the number of devotees is comparatively lower. Devotees eagerly await this rare opportunity to have ‘darshan’ through the natural cave, which remains closed for most of the year due to safety concerns.
“The cave is open for devotees today, but we will only allow darshan when the number of visitors is less than 10,000 to ensure comfort and prevent inconvenience,” Garg explained. He added that the pilgrimage is progressing smoothly from the new cave, which can accommodate a large number of pilgrims without difficulty. Over 150,000 pilgrims have visited the shrine since the beginning of the year.
Daily pilgrim footfall typically ranges between 10,000 to 15,000, with the numbers increasing during weekends. The opening of the natural cave is expected to further boost attendance. Last year, the shrine saw a record 9.48 million visitors, marking the second-highest attendance in a decade.
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