My Vaishno Devi Yatra

I am working for a hotel in Delhi and after so much of hectic schedule I was able get some time to travel myself. After discussing with my family we decided to visit Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu. The month for travelling was chosen October. The reason for choosing the October month was, because its not too hot and not too cold which makes travelling with kids comfortable. This time we decided not to go by an AC train, my wife had an idea of travelling with a sleeper class, so that we can enjoy the interaction with other travellers and also to enjoy the local tea and other eatables available through local vendors in a moving train. When I decided to book the tickets, I was surprised to see that seats were not available for coming back. So I booked for going, but surprisingly when I was booking the online tickets through IRCTC online, if found that few seats are available in Jammu Mail. I booked it immediately. As we lived in Delhi, so it was not difficult for us to reach to old delhi railway station in time, we took and auto rickshaw and reached in time, as it is a night train, we decided to pack our dinner so that we can have it in the train. We packed some poorie and dry aaloo & some pickles etc. Once we occupied our seats. Till Panipat we were not able get our birth completely as there were many people travel daily from Delhi to Panipat for doing jobs and businesses and they were occupying and sharing our births. Finally after Panipat we got our births and we opened them and went for sleep, it is advisable to tie your luggage with chain and keep an eye on it, especially when you are travelling in sleeper class.

We reached pathankot at around 6.00 am in the morning where train stays for say around 30 mnts. We had a morning tea there which was very tasty and also the breakfast was also very good. Hot poori and bhaji wast mouth watering. But after Pathankot, this train moved like a passenger train and stopped at each small station. Which made it vary irritating, but good thing was we were able to interact with some local peoples who travelled daily with the same train. They told us that you should not have booked this train as it takes longer time to reach Jammu. When we reached Jammu station, we found that there are lots of state transport buses and private operarotor buses were available, but we decided to go through taxi, as we were not happy with a sleeper class travel and were not having enough energy to travel with bus. We went to taxi stand and booked one taxi (Indica Non AC) which cost Rs.900/-. We could not book the accommodations at Vaishno Devi https://www.maavaishnodevi.org/, as you need to book well in advance. We asked our driver to take us some good hotel, and drivers will always take you to the hotels were they get maximum commission. But we went ourselves inside the hotel and bargain with them, finally got a deluxe room at Rs.1500/ per night. Earlier we thought that we will have some rest and then go to temple, but kids were very excited and they wanted to start after freshen up at around 4 pm. We asked the hotel and they were happy to provide a cab till yatra registration office. Actually you have to register your self at katra registration office to visit Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan and to keep registration slip as official document which further checked at Banganga. Also you should not carry the camera's, mobile phones, etc during the yatra, prepaid phones do not work in the Jammu Kashmir region due to security issues only post paid phones work there. The distance from Katra to Maa Vaishno Devi Bhawan is 13 Kms. After Darshani Drwaza trek becomes slightly straight. We reached to the main temple and found that are many shops for prashad and nariyal (coconut) whereas we bought it from Katra and carried all the way. There are many shops for eating at the entire trek as well as at the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. We gave our slip at the counter and took a token and number for Darshan, we found it very systematic and hassle free eviorenment there despite of so much rush. We kept our belongings in the locker and went for having bath. After bath we stand in queue and had a wonderful pindi darshan. People were sleeping there as it was midnight but we decided to go back after darshan. But kids were tired and also they wanted to go back and wanted to rest at the hotel. We took two pitthu's (Men carrying the children's on their back), They asked Rs.300/- each. It was surprised to know that one of them was around 58 years of age and also was a muslim. He said he has been working here since very long, time when there were no roads and stairs were built, most of the time trek was full of water and mud, it was difficult to walk on this trek, he said now days it has become very convenient for the pilgrims. We reached the hotel at around 6 in the morning and we all had a bath and went for sleep for few hours. Then we decide to take a car and to go back to Jammu and stay there overnight as our train was on next day. We came to jammu and visit the famous Raghunath Temple, there was a major terrorist attack occurred at this temple in November 2002. After visiting Raghunath temple we were having no energy to go any where, we checked in to a hotel near to jammu tawi railway station. We slept whole night and next day went to railway to catch the train to back to delhi.