| |
|
|
Mata
Vaishno Devi
|
|
|
| Town Information |
| Location: |
The
town of Katra is approximately 50 km
from Jammu
|
| Dedicated to: |
Incarnations of
Goddess Durga
|
| How to Reach: |
The nearest airport
as well as the nearest railhead is that
of Jammu. Regular bus services are available
from the Katra bus stand.
|
| Highlights: |
Natural rock formations
of Ma Laxmi, Ma Kali and Ma Saraswati
|
| Time of Yatra: |
Anytime of the Year
|
|
Katra Town , lying in the foot of Trikuta Mountains , 48 kms. from Jammu, serves as the base camp
for visiting the famous holy shrine of Shri Mata
Vaishno Devi, which is approachable on foot
along a 13 kms long well laid footpath. Every
year, more than 4.5 million pilgrims pass through
Katra on their holy pilgrimage to the shrine.
The cave shrine of Mata Vasihnodevi ji or Trikuta Bhagwati
(alt: 5,200 ft.) has been a beacon of faith and
fulfillment
to millions of devotees from all over the world. The
pilgrimage to the Shrine holds great significance for
the pilgrims.
|
The
Legend of Mata Vaishnodevi Ji
Everyday of the year throngs of people surge up
the steep pathways that cut across the Trikuta
hillsides for mile after mile. This show of faith
is finely interwoven with the cultural strands
of the Indian subcontinent, and these pathways
have been trod on for many centuries now. Popular
belief holds that anybody who walks the Himalayan
trail to the goddesses's abode to ask for a boon
rarely goes back disappointed. Whatever is it,
a new enterprise or a forthcoming examination,
marriage or birth, the devout look up to the Mata Vaishnodevi
for blessings and guidance. There are many who
journey year after year to pay obeisance regardless
of their faith or belief, creed or class, caste
or religion.
|
|
|
|
The pilgrimage to the holy temple of Mata Vaishnodevi is
as fascinating as the legend associated with it. It
goes that thousands of years ago, a comely maiden called "Vaishnavi" have
been created by the three lords attained human form
and was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Having taken a vow
of celibacy, she spent almost all her life in meditation
and prayers. In time she attained enormous spiritual
powers and is believed to have extracted an assurance
from Lord Rama that he will marry her in KaliYug if
she persisted in her spiritual quest.
This is why she is also known as Adh Kanwari or the "eternal
virgin". Mata Vaishno Devi established an ashram in the
foothills of the Trikuta Mountain and began to meditate. As
predicted by Lord Rama, her glory started spreading and people
began to flock to her ashram to seek her blessings. As time
passed, a Tantrik called Gorakh Nath (Demo God), who had a
vision of the episode between Lord Rama and Mata Vaishno Devi,
became curious and wanted to know more about her. Accordingly,
he sent his most able disciple `Bhairon Nath' to find out.
Bhairon Nath started observing her secretly and realized that
despite being a `Sadhvi', she always carried a bow and arrows
and was always surrounded by langoor (apes) and a ferocious
looking lion. Bhairon, the demon God took a fancy to her. But
the Mata spurned his advances and fled to the Himalayas to
continue her spiritual quest.
|
On
the way the goddess felt thirsty at Banganga and
shot an arrow into the earth from where water gushed
out. Charan Paduka, which is marked by the imprints
of her feet, is the place where she rested.
The Goddess then meditated in the cave at Adh Kanwari.
It took Bhairon nine months to locate her, which is why
the cave is known as Garbh Joon. When the demon found her,
Mata Vaishno Devi blasted an opening at the other end of
the cave with her trident and fled to the Holy cave at
Darbar (temple).
However, Bhairon was persistent and followed her there
to harass her. Then goddess became very angry and assuming
the form of Mata Kali, beheaded Bhairon outside the cave
with the aid of the flying disc gifted to her by Lord
Krishna.
|
|
|
The
severed head of Bhairon fell at a distant hilltop. In
his dying moments, Bhairon begged and received divine
forgiveness from the goddess. Today, it is believed that
the Yatra is not complete unless the pilgrim has been
to Bhairon ka Mandir (2.6 km from the main sanctum) as
well, after the darshan of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi.
The goddess herself took up permanent abode in a cave in the
Trikuta Mountains by metamorphosing herself in to three pindis
(Rock). This holy temple of Mata Vaishno Devi is unique as it
contains the holiest of holy Pindis manifesting the Mata in her
three forms - Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati - each
form representing a particular attribute. Maha Kali represents
Tamas Guna, Tamas meaning darkness. In her manifestation of Kali
the omnipotent, absolute and all pervasive, she is said to be
beyond fear and finite existence and is therefore able to protect
her devotees against fear and to give them limitless peace. Maha
Lakshmi represents Rajas Guna, Rajas meaning prosperity. In this
manifestation, the goddess blesses her devotees with wealth and
prosperity for living a better life. Maha Saraswati represents
Sattav Guna, Sattav meaning wisdom and knowledge. This manifestation
enables her devotees to distinguish between good and bad and
helps them to adopt the right path in life. The combination of
these three attributes in a single Shakti is a unique combination,
which is what makes it, revered all over the world.
|
| |
|
|
