Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, one of the oldest shrines in India, is nestled in the Trikuta Hills of the
Shivalik Hill Range. It is located about 61 km north of
Jammu.
Situated at an altitude of 5300 ft, it is in a 100 ft long cave with a narrow opening. This beautiful shrine is believed to have been built by the Pandavas.
The temple enshrines the symbols of a large number of gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. Lord Ganesh, Surya Dev, Chandra Dev and Lord Hanuman are worshiped.
There are also natural
pindies with stones representing Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Kali. These three pinides symbolize creative, preservative and destructive aspects of the Super Power.
Katra is the base camp for the
Yatra to this holy shrine. From Katra one can reach the holy shrine after a 12 km trek.
