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Katra Town lies at the foot of Trikuta Mountains. It is 48 kilometers away from Jammu. It caters to the people who come to visit the shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. It is estimated that more than 4.5 million people visit this place annually.
Since the place is so important from tourist point of view, it has a large number of hotels, guest houses, restaurants, dhabas, fast-food joints, etc. Free accommodations are available for the poor. The main bazaar is the main attraction. You can take home souvenirs, dry fruits, woolen garments, hosiery, leather jackets, etc.
Yatra Parchi: The pilgrims need a yatra permit from the permit counter of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. The bus and taxi stands are nearby. You can get the ticket from the counter everyday between 6 am to 10 pm. It is estimated that 18000 pilgrims are permitted everyday to take the yatra.
For tourists coming in groups, a separate counter is opened at the erstwhile Mulberry Nursery. It follows the first come first serve basis. Nine people can be permitted using one slip. Children below 5 years of age are not counted.
History Of Katra
The geological analysis of the holy caves of Vaishno Devi suggests that they have been in existence for past million years. The Trikuta Mountain on whose foothills Katra is sited finds citation in Rigveda. The tradition of worshipping power in the form of ‘Goddess Shakti’ is as old as Puranic Era and the earliest mention of the Mother Goddess Shakti can be found in the Mahabharata. At the time of the battle of Kurukshetra, Arjuna saluted the Mother Goddess saying, ‘the one who perpetually resides in the temple atop the Mount Jamboo’ wherein ‘Jamboo’ is now interpreted as ‘Jammu’. The Vaishno Devi Temple is believed to have consecrated by the five Pandava brothers. It is supposed that Guru Gobind Singh; the 10th Guru of Sikhism visited Katra via Purmandal. Katra, formerly a division of the Reasi State was a part of the erstwhile state of Bhimgarh that was established by Raja Bhim Dev in 8th century AD. The modern history of Katra indicates that in 1822 AD the then sovereign of Jammu; Maharaja Gulab Singh annexed different parts of Bhimgarh with various small princely states of the Jammu region when Katra was allocated to the Reasi State. Later, post 1948 AD Katra was constituted in the Udhampur District during the Administrative Reorganization of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Major Tourist Attractions of Katra
Vaishno Devi Temple
The temple is the Holy Bhawan in form of a cave, which has three pindies (holy rock) that represent Goddess Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. They are known as Trikuta Bhagwati. To reach this cave, devotees have to trek about 14 kms, (pony, palki and helicopter are also available).
Shiv Khori
Second after Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, in terms of religious importance, it is known for the naturally formed Shiv Linga. This symbol of Hindu Lord Shiva holds enormous importance in worshipping and religious rituals. The famous Hindu festival of Maha Shivaratri is held with enormous importance in the region. The cave has the shape of Lord Shiva?s damru (small drum).
Bhairon Ghati
It is a strong belief among Hindus that a visit to Vaishno Devi is incomplete without a darshan of Bhairon baba. This is the reason, devotees walk a distance of 1.42 kms to visit the temple that is dedicated to the evil sage Bhairon Nath who was killed by Mata Vaishno Devi. Inside the temple is a rock that is believed to mark the place where Bhairon Nath?s head fell after being chopped off by the Goddess. Nearby is a havan kund for religious ceremonies.
Ardh Kuwari Cave
A holy cave and a stopover for tired pilgrims, this cave falls mid-way to the Vaishno Devi Shrine. As per legend, this is the place where the Goddess meditated for 9 months till Bhaironath traced her out. The place famous as Garbh Joon, people believe that by passing through the cave, one gets free from problems of childbirth. Miraculously this cave is of the shape of a pregnant mother who is carrying a child in here womb.
Dera Baba Banda
Katra Travel is incomplete without a visit to the Gurudwara constructed by Baba Banda Bairaagi. It attracts pilgrims from all walks of life. On the banks of Chenab River, this gurudwara is the venue for the three-day annual fair that attracts pilgrims is a major tourist attraction of Katra.
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