J-K: Vaishno Devi pilgrimage restarts after 22-days pause, halted again due to bad weather

Katra/Jammu, Sep 17 (PTI) After a 22-day suspension due to a deadly landslide and continuous heavy rainfall, the pilgrimage to revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district resumed on Wednesday, bringing smiles on the faces of the devotees.

However, the respite was short-lived, as the shrine board once again suspended the yatra amid inclement weather this evening after allowing 2,500 pilgrims during the day, the officials said.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) announced the reopening of the yatra subject to favourable weather conditions from this morning, much to the relief of hundreds of devotees who were camping in Katra town -- the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the shrine.

Chanting slogans like ‘Jai Mats Di’, the enthusiastic pilgrims gathered at Banganga Darshani gate, the starting point of the yatra, in the early hours of the day, much before the start of the yatra.

Shrine board officials said the yatra began at 6 am from both the routes leading to the hilltop shrine after a temporary suspension necessitated by inclement weather conditions and essential maintenance of the track leading to the shrine.

However, the shrine board used public address system to announce the immediate suspension of the yatra around 5.30 pm after dark clouds covered the Trikuta hills with weatherman forecasting heavy rains.

“Over 2,500 pilgrims joined the yatra during the day and many of them have already paid their obeisance at the shrine. The helicopter service remained suspended, but the battery car functioned normally,” an official said.

He said the shrine board will review the situation later tonight and accordingly a decision will be taken about allowing the pilgrims on the track for the yatra on Thursday.

Earlier, the shrine board advised the pilgrims to carry valid identification, follow designated pathways and cooperate with on-ground staff. Radio Frequency Identity Card (RFID)-based tracking remains mandatory for transparency and traceability.

The shrine board expressed its gratitude to all devotees for their patience and understanding during the temporary suspension.

“The resumption of the Yatra marks a reaffirmation of our collective faith and resilience and the board remains committed to upholding the sanctity, safety and dignity of this revered pilgrimage,” an official said.

“We are extremely happy that the yatra has resumed. We reached the base camp from Pune two days ago and it was a difficult wait but we were sure that we are going to have a 'darshan' before returning to our home town,” said a woman pilgrim, part of a group from Maharashtra.

The pilgrims termed the resumption of the yatra as a very special day and said “visiting the shrine is a blessing, and we thank the officials for making this possible.” The shrine board urged all pilgrims to strictly follow safety guidelines and remain updated through official communication channels.

With the path now declared safe, the pilgrimage is expected to see a large number of devotees in the coming days, especially during the upcoming Navratri scheduled to start from September 22 till October 1.

The pilgrimage was suspended on August 26, hours before a major landslide hit the route leading to the shrine that resulted in the death of 34 pilgrims and injuries to 20 others. PTI TAS NB