Jammu, Oct 23: Over four lakh people offered prayers at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district during the nine-day Navratri holiday, an official said on Monday. Since the start of Navratri, over four lakh visitors have visited the sacred temple, with an average of 40,000 pilgrims making their obeisance each day. About 3.15 lakh visitors visited the holy temple for the nine days of Shardiya Navratras last year, according to a spokesman for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi temple Board (SMVDSB). He stated that on Monday, the board’s nine-day “Shat Chandi Maha Yagya,” which was held at the temple in honour of Ramanavami, came to an end. The event was planned for global peace, harmony, prosperity, and human health.The spokesperson stated that in addition to pilgrims, Anshul Garg, the chief executive officer of SMVDSB, and the personnel took part in “Purna Ahuti” and other religious rituals carried out while chanting vedic mantras. He added the “Maha Yagya” was conducted by a group of pandits under the direction of Padma Shri Prof. Vishwamurti Shastri. A skywalk, a renovated Parvati Bhawan, virtual darshan via the sacred natural cave, and free langar sewa at the Shri Bhairon Ji temple complex were among the unique additions to the pilgrimage during the Navratri festival, according to the spokesperson. Other additions included a “live darshan facility” and a bilingual “Shakti” chatbot on the Board’s pilgrim website.He stated that the goal of these programmes is to increase the pilgrims’ convenience and enjoyment of the journey. President Droupadi Murmu officially opened the skywalk on October 12, and it was essential to the management of the yatra during the Navratri celebration. According to the spokesperson, it was successful in reducing traffic in the Bhawan area by optimising the entrance and exit points to the sacred cave.
