Mata Vaishno Devi Description

The holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi is nestled in a beautiful recess of the Trikuta Mountains forming a part of the lower Himalayas. It is located 61 km north of Jammu at a height of 5,200 feet above the sea level in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In the cave there are images of three deities viz. the Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati.This gurgling streamlet gushing out from the Trikutta range flows just below Katra.Starting from Katra and passing through the Dharshani Darwaza, one has to get down an escarpment for about half a mile and cross Bal-Ganga over a bridge.It is from this bridge that the stiff ascent on the Trikutta range starts.Bal Ganga is considered a holy stream and many devotees consider it a must to have purificatory bath in it before starting on the ascent. Many shops have of late sprung up here, which serve light food or essences and other commodities necessary for orisons in the holy cave.The mthological cave was discovered by a Brahmin Pandit who lived in the nearby village of Hansali. He went to the mountain in search of Vaishnodevi and discovered the transmuted statue of the goddess with eight arms, sitting on a lion. Since then the cave became an important place of worship.

The abode of the Goddess Vaishno Devi is in the Moutains of Trikuta Hills, in the Jammu and Kashmir State of Northern India. The Goddess resides in a beautiful cave in the form of 3 'Pindis' namely, “Maha Kali”, “Maha Laxmi” and “Maha Sarawati”. The Goddess Durga is said to have killed the demo
Bhairon here. Vaishno Devi is 61-km north of Jammu and 14-km from Katra. The cave is at an elevation of 1,700m (5,100ft) and is 30m (93 ft) long and just 1.5m (5ft) high.Mata Vaishno Devi changed herself in the form of three Pindis and became meditative forever. Mata Vaishno Devi is said to be the combined form of these three goddesses. It is said that Bhaironath then realised his fault and from his slit head begged Mata to forgive him. Mata knew that the main motto of Bhairavnath to attack on her was to attain salvation. Mata not only forgave him but also gave him a boon that all the devotees who will visit her holy cave will have to visit his temple thereafter or else the visit will not bring any virtue to the devotee. With this belief the devotees visit Bhairavnath temple after worhsipping Mata Vaishno Devi. Sridhar was sad that Mata came to his house but he did not recognised her. To fulfill the wish of her devotee, Mata came in Sridhar’s dream and told him the way of cave where she resides along with the three Super power Goddesses. Sridhar went out on the shown path and reached the gates of Mata Vaishno Devi.

Legend says Lord Rama found her deep in meditation and gave her the name Vaishnavi. The mother in turn fasted for 9 days on navratras and the practice of reading the Ramayanas during the navratras started from here. The more popular legend is that of the divine mother guiding her humble disciple Sreedhar to organise a grand feast and Bhairav Nath a tantric following her through Banganga and Garbh Joon, to her hilltop abode. The mother took on her Mahakali form to slay Bhairav Nath but granted him a boon that her pilgrimage will henceforth be considered complete only upon a visit to the shrine of Bhairav Nath, some 2.5 km from the holy cave temple.The journey was arduous but the temple trust has done a lot to make the way accessible. The path is paved, food and water are available all along the way, battery operated autos and mules and dolis make the journey easier for the very young and very old. Chants of Jai Mata Di reverberate along the hills day and night except for the peak winters.