Date Of Travel : 16 Aug 2014 to 19 Aug 2014
Mode Of Travel : Indian Railways
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi is a pilgrimage site for many of the Indians comprising mainly Hindus and Sikhs. The temple, also known as bhawan is situated at an altitude 5200 ft in the mountains. The Devotees have to undertake a trek of about 11-13 km from the base camp at Katra. Katra is a small town about 50 km far from the city of Jammu and is easily accessbile by road and railways. Earlier, the yatris (read 'travellers') had to take a bus from jammu tawi railway station but now, rail service has been started from jammu tawi to katra and the railway station is named as "Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra" in the honour.
I visited katra this month with my family. We had a reservation in New Delhi - Katra Premium Express (04401). This train was started specially for the month of august to lighten the burden on newly started Shree Shakti Express Train From New Delhi to Katra.
Below is a log of my journey to Katra.
16 August :
We reached New Delhi Railway Station at around 9:00 pm. The train was scheduled to depart at 9:50 pm. We checked the platform number with inquiry office and boarded the train waiting at platform 11. The Train departed at 10:00 pm. We had our dinner which we brought from our home. Everything was going on as usual, the train was running at its maximum speed, people were chatting, I was looking at the stations passing by. It was around 12:00 am when the train suddenly stopped at some remote station in Haryana. None of the passengers knew of the problem but everybody was speculating his own theory. Some said that the engine broke. The train started its journey again after half an hour.
17 August :
The train stopped once again at Ambala City Station for about 1 hour. The guards at the station told us about the actual problem that a goods train got derailed ahead of Ambala station. But despite all the difficulties, we reached Jammu Tawi station at about 12:00 pm. The remaining two hours of journey was worth all the difficulties we faced. The picturesque of the train travelling in tunnels and in middle of mountains is what one aspires for. The train arrived at Katra Station at around 2:00 pm.
We deboarded the train, took some pictures that I have inserted at the end of the article, exited the platform and reached the station premises. The guard advised us to take the Yatra Parchi from the counter available at the station itself. Yatra Parchi is required for all of the yatris who want to visit Vaishno Devi Mandir. We took the exit from station and took an auto to reach our hotel. Our Hotel was situated near the Katra Bus Stand just opposite to katra taxi stand. The price were raesonable for an AC room (about Rs 1500 per room), although AC was not required considering the weather at that time.
We rested there for few hours and had our evening snack at the Sher-e-punjab restaurant opposite to our hotel. Then we decided to start our trek at around 8:00 pm. We took the auto available outside our hotel and reached Ban Ganga where the trek to vaishno devi temple starts. We entered the Ban Ganga Check Post with our Yatra Parchi. Devotees are not allowed to enter if they dont have their yatra parchi. Ponies are available here if you cant walk uphill about 11 - 13 kms.
We started our trek at about 9:00 pm. We took stairs for most part of our trek because it shortens the total distance by about 2-3 kms but it tires you a lot. We reached the middle of the trek by 11:00 pm. Now, some of you should pay attention here. There are two ways to darbar from here - One via Adhkuwari (6.5 Km) and One via Himkoti (5.5 Km). We took the shorter path via Himkoti. If you are travelling in day, you would find battery operated rickshaw from here to bhawan which would charge you Rs 200 per head. Unfortunately, we were travelling in night, so we continued our trek.
18 August :
We reached Himkoti at about 12:00 am. Here we had our supper at Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Mess or Bhojanalaya. I would advise you to have only Rajma Chawal here, everything else is substandard. We reached the bhawan premises at about 2:00 am. The Temperature was very low than Katra and fortunately my mom brought warm clothes. We decided to have some rest after the long trek and rented four beds at the dharamshala or rest house available there.
We paid our visit to the holy cave in the morning where goddess resides in the form of pindies. There are no statues or idols inside the cave. Then we had breakfast at the famous Sagar Ratna Restaurant which was available at the bhawan premises. The food was unbelievably tasty and affordable but without onion and garlic. You will not find onion and garlic in whole town of katra. Some devotees also pay visit to Bhairon baba temple which is about 3 kms uphill. We started our downhill trek at 1:00 pm and reached our hotel at 5:30 pm. I advise you to take stairs on the return.
We had dinner at the hotel itself and slept early.
19 August :
We had our train scheduled to depart at 7:00 pm in the evening, so to spend our time we watched the then released Singham Returns at a theatre in katra. And then we bought prashad and other stuff from the market. We checked out from the hotel at 6:00 pm and reached the station in time and boarded our train. The train departed at correct time.
P.S. : This trip meant a lot to me because it was a time well spent with my family and I had blessings from Mata Vaishno Devi ji as well.
I hope this article helped you in some manner and will help you in planning your trip to the holy town of katra.
Mode Of Travel : Indian Railways
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi is a pilgrimage site for many of the Indians comprising mainly Hindus and Sikhs. The temple, also known as bhawan is situated at an altitude 5200 ft in the mountains. The Devotees have to undertake a trek of about 11-13 km from the base camp at Katra. Katra is a small town about 50 km far from the city of Jammu and is easily accessbile by road and railways. Earlier, the yatris (read 'travellers') had to take a bus from jammu tawi railway station but now, rail service has been started from jammu tawi to katra and the railway station is named as "Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra" in the honour.
I visited katra this month with my family. We had a reservation in New Delhi - Katra Premium Express (04401). This train was started specially for the month of august to lighten the burden on newly started Shree Shakti Express Train From New Delhi to Katra.
Below is a log of my journey to Katra.
16 August :
We reached New Delhi Railway Station at around 9:00 pm. The train was scheduled to depart at 9:50 pm. We checked the platform number with inquiry office and boarded the train waiting at platform 11. The Train departed at 10:00 pm. We had our dinner which we brought from our home. Everything was going on as usual, the train was running at its maximum speed, people were chatting, I was looking at the stations passing by. It was around 12:00 am when the train suddenly stopped at some remote station in Haryana. None of the passengers knew of the problem but everybody was speculating his own theory. Some said that the engine broke. The train started its journey again after half an hour.
17 August :
The train stopped once again at Ambala City Station for about 1 hour. The guards at the station told us about the actual problem that a goods train got derailed ahead of Ambala station. But despite all the difficulties, we reached Jammu Tawi station at about 12:00 pm. The remaining two hours of journey was worth all the difficulties we faced. The picturesque of the train travelling in tunnels and in middle of mountains is what one aspires for. The train arrived at Katra Station at around 2:00 pm.
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We deboarded the train, took some pictures that I have inserted at the end of the article, exited the platform and reached the station premises. The guard advised us to take the Yatra Parchi from the counter available at the station itself. Yatra Parchi is required for all of the yatris who want to visit Vaishno Devi Mandir. We took the exit from station and took an auto to reach our hotel. Our Hotel was situated near the Katra Bus Stand just opposite to katra taxi stand. The price were raesonable for an AC room (about Rs 1500 per room), although AC was not required considering the weather at that time.
We rested there for few hours and had our evening snack at the Sher-e-punjab restaurant opposite to our hotel. Then we decided to start our trek at around 8:00 pm. We took the auto available outside our hotel and reached Ban Ganga where the trek to vaishno devi temple starts. We entered the Ban Ganga Check Post with our Yatra Parchi. Devotees are not allowed to enter if they dont have their yatra parchi. Ponies are available here if you cant walk uphill about 11 - 13 kms.
We started our trek at about 9:00 pm. We took stairs for most part of our trek because it shortens the total distance by about 2-3 kms but it tires you a lot. We reached the middle of the trek by 11:00 pm. Now, some of you should pay attention here. There are two ways to darbar from here - One via Adhkuwari (6.5 Km) and One via Himkoti (5.5 Km). We took the shorter path via Himkoti. If you are travelling in day, you would find battery operated rickshaw from here to bhawan which would charge you Rs 200 per head. Unfortunately, we were travelling in night, so we continued our trek.
18 August :
We reached Himkoti at about 12:00 am. Here we had our supper at Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Mess or Bhojanalaya. I would advise you to have only Rajma Chawal here, everything else is substandard. We reached the bhawan premises at about 2:00 am. The Temperature was very low than Katra and fortunately my mom brought warm clothes. We decided to have some rest after the long trek and rented four beds at the dharamshala or rest house available there.
We paid our visit to the holy cave in the morning where goddess resides in the form of pindies. There are no statues or idols inside the cave. Then we had breakfast at the famous Sagar Ratna Restaurant which was available at the bhawan premises. The food was unbelievably tasty and affordable but without onion and garlic. You will not find onion and garlic in whole town of katra. Some devotees also pay visit to Bhairon baba temple which is about 3 kms uphill. We started our downhill trek at 1:00 pm and reached our hotel at 5:30 pm. I advise you to take stairs on the return.
We had dinner at the hotel itself and slept early.
19 August :
We had our train scheduled to depart at 7:00 pm in the evening, so to spend our time we watched the then released Singham Returns at a theatre in katra. And then we bought prashad and other stuff from the market. We checked out from the hotel at 6:00 pm and reached the station in time and boarded our train. The train departed at correct time.
P.S. : This trip meant a lot to me because it was a time well spent with my family and I had blessings from Mata Vaishno Devi ji as well.
I hope this article helped you in some manner and will help you in planning your trip to the holy town of katra.
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