Chalo Bulawa Aya Hai Mata Ne Bulaya Hai

"Chalo Bulawa Aya Hai Mata Ne Bulaya Hai," is the usual refrain of one overwhelmed with the irresistible urge. He forgets his past commitments, drops the job on hand and, at the first opportunity, rushes to catch the train to Jammu, the railroad to reach Vaishno Devi.

Over 4.5 million Indians from all parts of the country respond this way to the call of the Mother every year to one of the holiest shrines in northern India. Youngsters hope to fare well in examinations; newlyweds look for conjugal bliss. Some hope to win property cases; others look forward to the blessing of an heir. And some visit Vaishno Devi for no other reason than their wish to see Mata.

Devotees aver that the revered Mata calls out to her followers, and only then can one go to her sublime shrine. An arduous journey up the Trikuta Mountain range and the final darshan (audience) of the Goddess leaves one with staunch faith in Her. It is believed that one can ask the great Mother of Pindi inside Vaishno Devi Holy Cave any needful thing and promise to visit her when the wish is fulfilled. Lakhs of people vouch for the deity's graciousness and visit the shrine in the form of thanksgiving.

The holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi is said to have been built by the five Pandavas. The length of the cave is about 98 ft. The symbols of a large number of gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon can be seen here. At the mouth of the original tunnel to the holy cave can be seen the symbols of Vakra Tunda Ganesha, Surya Dev and Chandra Dev. When one crawls into the cave through the tunnel, he/she crosses over the Dhadh of Bhairon Nath. The symbol of Lord Hanuman, called Launkra Beer, can also be seen and the pilgrims have to wade through water beyond the Launkra Beer point. Twenty-three feet beyond Launkra Beer, on the upper left-hand side, the roof of the cave flares out and the weight of this overhang appears to be resting on the innumerable heads of Shesh Nag. Immediately below Shesh Nag can be seen the symbols of Shankh, Chakra, Gada and Padam. Higher up, almost touching the ceiling of the cave, are the symbols of the five Pandavas, the Sapt Rishi, the udders of the divine cow, Kamadhenu, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Parvati.


There are several places to see and visit near Vaishno Devi too. The Deva Mai temple is about three miles short of Katra town. Many devotees treat it as a very holy site and go there to perform paeans. The Holy Cave of Shiv Khori is the abode of Lord Shiva, situated at a distance of 70 km from Katra. The cave is a real wonder to be seen and measures nearly a kilometer in length with a four-feet-high naturally formed Shiv-lingam at the heart of the sanctum sanctorum.

Vaishno Devi Temple can be reached after making a steep 13-km trek from the road head at Katra, the town at the foot of the Trikuta hills. The Indian shrine of Vaishno Devi is easily accessible through air, road and rail from the other major Indian cities and states. Touristplacesinindia can arrange for you all types of transport for your comfortable journey to and in Vaishno Devi and throughout the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

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Planning a pilgrimage tours to Vaishno Devi shrine? Currently, we do not have any all-inclusive tour packages, tours and holiday offers that will make your travel trip to shrine of Vaishno Devi comfortable and enjoyable. Though we can come up with a customized tour package for the shrine of Vaishno Devi that will suit your requirements and budget. As per the nature, duration and the accommodation required during the holiday trip or leisure travel to Vaishno Devi the tour packages vary.