Vaishno Devi temple located in the small town of Katra in Jammu district is one of the most loved places for religious seekers in North India. This place has become very popular in South India too recently.
So, if you are in the mood for exploring Bharat, check out these interesting facts that will arouse your interest to visit the Vaishno Devi temple immediately!
1) Mata Vaishno Devi observed the ‘Navratra’ fast in order to pray that Lord Rama wins the battle against Ravana. This was acknowledged by Lord Rama and blessed her with immortality. Lord Rama wanted the whole world to worship her and that’s why it still attracts a huge number of pilgrims every year.
2) Bhairo Nath, who is known to have chased Vaishnavi to marry her, was actually sent by Gorakh Nath who wanted to know the conversation between Lord Rama and Vaishnavi. Bairo Nath was actually a dedicated disciple of Gorakh Nath.
3) Lord Rama instructed Vaishnavi to build ashram on the Trikuta foothills so that they can live there after getting married in Kalyug.
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4) One of the legends regarding the establishment of the Vaishno Devi temple states that a poor sage Pandit Sridhar had a vision of Mata Vaishno Devi who asked him to follow the route to the Vaishno Devi Every time he lost his way, Mata Vaishno Devi guided him.
5) The first reference of Trikuta has been found in Rigveda scripture, and some geological studies also indicate that the caves are at least a million years old. It is important to note that it was only in the Puranic era that different forms of female deities and Shakti were worshipped.
6) There is also a mention of Mata Vaishno Devi in the famous Mahabharata. It is stated that Arjuna did a long meditation upon the Mata Vaishno Devi goddess before the actual battle of Kurukshetra.
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7) The best time to visit the Vaishno Devi temple is during the Navratras. This is the time when the temple is very decorated, and the spirit of the place is very high.
People come from different parts of the world to witness the divinity of this place during Navratras. It is also believed that if you visit this place during Navratras, you are much closer to reaching heaven.
8) In the Vaishno Devi, there are three major caves. Out of the three, one of the caves is shut down most of the time in a given year. It is believed that if the three caves are combined, it is too difficult and long for one single pilgrimage. Therefore, mostly, only two caves are left open for the people to visit.
Only a few of the pilgrims have the opportunity to visit the main cave which is opened by the authority only if the total number of pilgrims is less than 10,000. That only happens during winter time when it is very difficult to climb. You can try your luck in December or January if you want to see it.
9) It is said that the original route that existed to visit the Vaishno Devi temple was too small to accommodate such huge numbers of tourists. Therefore, they split the mountain into two haves to make a new road that is at the mid-point at the Ardh Kuwari.
10) Also, there is a separate cave that is situated at the Ardha Kuwari with an interesting legend that goes with it. It is considered as the place where Mata Vaishno Devi was hiding for a period of 9 months from Bhairo Nath. According to the legends, she had positioned herself in the cave similar to how an unborn child is in the mother’s womb.
Therefore, it is also called Garbhjun. According to the believers, people who enter this Garbhjun are freed from entering another womb ever again. If at all the person is conceived again, he/she will be free from any of the pains or problems that might arise at childbirth.
Bottom Line
Vaishno Devi is one of the most revered temples in India. People visit the place all around the year. Despite the difficulties that people might face during winters due to snowfall, there are still a lot of visitors. There are many legends associated with the Vaishno Devi temple and the ones mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg.
When you visit the temple, you will get to hear many more stories and legends from the locals. It is a unique temple and holds a lot of religious significance for Hindus.
Therefore, if you are on a spree for exploring India, Vaishno Devi temple can be on the top of the list. The place will instill a lot of positivity in you. So, when are you visiting it?
