Vaishno Devi yatra suspended amid rush during Chaitra Navratri

Jammu Tawi, March 21: The pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi was suspended on Saturday due to heavy rush at the Bhawan, as 39,000 devotees offered prayers till late afternoon, officials said.

The rush has increased due to the ongoing Chaitra Navratri, which began on March 19 and will end on March 27. The shrine board is expecting a heavy rush of devotees from across the country during this period.

“The yatra has been suspended temporarily due to heavy rush at Bhawan,” a shrine board official said.

Police vehicles announced the suspension of the yatra, with fresh registration to resume at 4 am on Sunday, he said.

“The pilgrims are asked to go back to their hotels as the yatra has been suspended,” the announcement said.

On Saturday, more than 39,000 pilgrims visited the holy town of Katra and offered prayers at the Mata Vaishno Devi temple atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, officials said.

Due to the heavy rush, the yatra was suspended at 4 pm on Saturday, they said.

More than 10,000 pilgrims are also en route to the cave shrine after registration, the officials added.

Hundreds of devotees, chanting ‘Jai Mata Di’, were seen trekking along the pathway to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple on the third day of Navratri to seek the deity’s blessings.

Authorities have put in place multi-tier security arrangements at the Katra base camp and en route to the shrine to ensure a safe and secure yatra.

The sacred Shat Chandi Maha Yagya has commenced at the shrine on Thursday, heralding the auspicious beginning of Chaitra Navratri 2026, officials said.

The divine vibrations of Vedic chants and rituals at the holy cave are invoking blessings of peace, prosperity, and well-being for all humanity, they said.

In view of the expected large influx of pilgrims, the shrine board has put in place comprehensive pilgrim-centric arrangements to ensure a smooth and spiritually enriching yatra experience, they added. (Agencies)