KINS DESK
Srinagar, Nov 18 (KINS): Over 86 lakh pilgrims have visited the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine atop the Trikuta Hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district so far this year, with the count expected to surpass 95 lakh by the end of December, a senior official of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said.
“Till yesterday, 86 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine and paid obeisance,” said Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the shrine board as per news agency KINS.
He noted a steady rise in the number of pilgrims each year, highlighting last year’s record of 95 lakh visitors as a significant milestone.
According to monthly data, pilgrim numbers peaked during the festive season, with October alone recording 874,657 visitors. Daily counts, which averaged between 14,000 and 18,000 in October, surged to between 28,000 and 38,000 following Diwali and other festivals, officials added.
The shrine’s footfall has seen consistent growth since the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board took over management in 1986, when only 13.95 lakh devotees visited. The numbers have since touched historic highs, including 1.04 crore visitors in 2012.
Enhancements in infrastructure and facilities have further contributed to the shrine’s popularity. Recent additions include a skywalk at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, a remodelled Parvati Bhavan, Durga Bhavan, new community kitchens, and railway registration centres. These were inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu earlier this year.
Additionally, the base camp at Katra now features a state-of-the-art call centre operating 24/7, handling nearly 2,500 calls daily from pilgrims worldwide.
With the year-end surge in devotees, the shrine board anticipates breaking previous records, reaffirming Mata Vaishno Devi’s status as one of the country’s most visited pilgrimage sites.(KINS)
