Year after year, thousands of pilgrims throng the Himalayan shrine of Vaishno Devi near Jammu and Kashmir¡¯s Katra town.??
2018 saw a sudden increase in pilgrim turn out, the numbers jumped from??7.72 million in 2016 to??8.45 million in 2018. According to a report, the increase in turnout has been attributed to the?efforts Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board to make the pilgrimage hassle-free.?
And it looks like the board has put an extra effort this year too. SMVDSB has taken another praiseworthy step to protect pilgrims journeying from Katra to Bhawan. One of the main factors that the board members laid focus on this year, is the safety of the people climbing up hill.
Pony riding pilgrims, from Katra town to Bhawan in the Reasi district will now have to wear helmets, knee pads and elbow guards to prevent injuries.
According to a PTI report, the safety gears have been introduced after several reports of pilgrims falling off ponies or being injured by shooting stones from hill tops emerged.
This new safety agenda is also a result of an Army officer dying due the same reasons.
¡°Every pilgrim riding on the pony to Bhawan or coming back will be provided helmets, knee and elbow guards so that maximum injury can be prevented", the Tribune quoted?Simrandeep Singh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the??Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), as saying.?
The Vaishno Devi shrine is situated in a cave on Trikuta hill at an altitude of 5200 ft. The pilgrims undertake a trek from base camp at Katra situated some 12km from the cave.
The main deity in the cave are in the form of three natural rock formations called the Pindis.?
Apart from this, another aspect which poses a challenge for pilgrims is access to hygienic food. For this purpose, the board has also made a 24X7 langar service available.
It's been in effect since May 9 and proper arrangements have been made to ensure a hygienic environment in the kitchen. Reports state that the community kitchen is set up just 3km before the starting point of the pilgrimage.?
For more details on facilities for pilgrims travelling to Vaishno Devi, click this link.?