Horse and mule riders had a field day during Navratri! So many devotees visited Vaishno Devi.

Posted on 1st Oct 2025 by rohit kumar

During the ongoing sacred Sharadiya Navratri, a stream of devotion is continuously flowing at the world-famous Maa Vaishno Devi Bhawan, as the Bhawan complex is lavishly decorated, while hymns of Maa Vaishno Devi resonate, and devotees slowly move in rows with devotion towards the caves. The entire atmosphere is filled with devotion. Devotees are bowing down at the feet of the Mother with devotion and are receiving their wishes, which is making them overjoyed.

 

At the same time, devotees are gaining merit by visiting the sacred and ancient Garbh Joon Cave in the religious Ardhkumwari Temple premises on the Maa Vaishno Devi Bhawan route. After the divine darshan of Maa Vaishno Devi, devotees reach Bhairav ​​Valley and bow down at the feet of Baba Bhairavnath, completing their pilgrimage to Maa Vaishno Devi. Whether it's the grand decorations of the Maa Vaishno Devi Bhawan complex or the natural beauty of the Bhairav ​​Valley, devotees are capturing the scenes with their mobile phones and cameras.

 

Malini Awasthi sang the praises of Maa Vaishno Devi. During the ongoing sacred Sharadiya Navratri, renowned singers from across the country are attending the divine aarti held daily morning and evening at the Maa Vaishno Devi Bhawan, singing the praises of Maa Vaishno Devi. During the divine aarti held on Tuesday morning, renowned folk singer from Bihar, Malini Awasthi, enthralled the devotees with her melodious voice, rendering hymns of Goddess Durga. Malini Awasthi expressed her gratitude for being at the feet of the Goddess during the ongoing sacred Navratri.

 

There are no words to describe the divinity of Maa Vaishno Devi. It is true that no one can come to her court without her invitation. Maa Vaishno Devi has fulfilled all desires by granting her darshan. After paying her respects to Maa Vaishno Devi and having divine darshan, Malini Awasthi returned to the base camp at Katra on Tuesday afternoon and departed for Jammu. A sacred havan yagna was held at the Bhumika Temple. The sacred havan yagna, held at the Bhumika Temple, the first stop of the sacred Sharadiya Navratri festival, concluded on Durga Ashtami.

 

Temple priests Jugal Kishore Sharma and Shubham Sharma, along with other priests, performed continuous havan yagna and prayers. The sacred havan yagna concluded with the final offering on Tuesday, Durga Ashtami. Following this, a Kanya Pujan (girl worship ceremony) was held in the temple premises, where hundreds of girls were blessed by wearing the goddess's chunri and offering prasad. A massive feast will be held in the Bhumika Temple premises on Wednesday, the Navami (the ninth day of the month). Local residents and devotees will participate in this massive feast and partake of the prasad.

 

A massive feast was held at the Bhawan on Durga Ashtami. On Durga Ashtami, the Shrine Board organized a grand feast at the Maa Vaishno Devi Bhawan complex. Prior to this, a Kanya Pujan (girl worship ceremony) was held in the Bhawan premises. Devotees, along with Shrine Board officials and employees, received prasad (offerings) and earned merit. On this occasion, the chief Aarti priest of Maa Vaishno Devi, Lokesh Pintu Pujari, along with other priests, earned merit through their service. The feast continued until late afternoon. The residents of Katra organized a grand Jagran.

 

On Monday night, to mark the ongoing sacred Sharadiya Navratri, the Durga Puja Committee, Katra, organized a grand Jagran. Held at the main bus stand in Katra, renowned singer Suresh Sharma sang hymns dedicated to Maa Vaishno Devi, immersing the devotees in devotion. The Jagran concluded early in the morning. On this occasion, members of the Durga Puja Committee, Katra, and the residents of the city performed a special Aarti of Maa Vaishno Devi, after which prasad was distributed among the devotees.

 

Devotees from across the country who had come to Katra to visit Maa Vaishno Devi also earned merit by attending the Jagran. Nearly 160,000 devotees have already visited Maa Vaishno Devi during the ongoing Navratras. During the ongoing holy Sharadiya Navratras, the enthusiasm of devotees for the pilgrimage to Maa Vaishno Devi remains unabated, and the weather has remained pleasant.

 

On Tuesday, the weather remained generally clear, and devotees continued to receive all kinds of facilities, including helicopter service, battery-powered car service, ropeway-only car service, as well as horse-drawn carriages, mules, palanquins, etc., which devotees are continuously availing.

 

So far, nearly 160,000 devotees have bowed down at the feet of Maa Vaishno Devi during the ongoing holy Sharadiya Navratras, and thousands of devotees continue to arrive daily. On the first Navratri, September 22, 13600 devotees reached the temple of Maa Vaishno Devi, on the second Navratri, September 23, 12589 devotees, on the third Navratri, September 24, 14526 devotees, on the fourth Navratri, September 25, 13643 devotees, on the fifth Navratri, September 26, 17665 devotees, while on the sixth Navratri, September 27, 30210 devotees paid their obeisance at the feet of Maa Vaishno Devi.

 

On the seventh Navratri, September 28, 22902 devotees reached the court of Maa. On the eighth Navratri, September 29, 17819, devotees reached the court of Maa. Similarly, on the ninth Navratri, September 30, i.e., Tuesday, till 5:00 pm, about 10500 devotees had registered and left for Maa Vaishno Devi Bhawan, and the devotees are continuously coming.