An engineer by profession and an avid traveler by choice! A photographer by passion!

I have been roaming many different parts of India and UAE in life. The galleries have been posted after my visits but they seem to be deep embedded in the blogs. I have created an index for all these travel galleries which should help in easier navigation for all visitors to my blog.

From the heritage ruins of Hampi to the glittering cityscape of Dubai all have been linked to this index which can be accessed from the link below.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE GALLERY INDEX

Mata Vaishno darshan is very convenient now after Shrine Board has taken over the command. Devotees of all age groups can come and pay visit to the holy shrine as per their comfort levels.

To begin you need to first reach Jammu which is easily accessible by Flight or Indian Railways. Once you reach Jammu, you will need to catch a bus to reach Katra. Katra is the base from where you start the ascend for Darshan.

Once in Jammu you can take a cab also for better comfort. Otherwise right opposite to the railway station is the bus stop from where buses ply at regular intervals. There should be luxury buses also available but their plying frequency is low. The journey from Jammu to Katra takes about maximum 2 hours. In a private transport it will surely be less than that.

Katra is where the bustling is due to all the hotel presence, restaurants and all kind of devotional services. Depending on the level of comfort you prefer, you can get it. We stayed in Hotel Orchid which was a 5 star rated hotel and is very comfortable. In case you have any elderly person with you, I would recommend it.

Any hotel in Katra will be happy to drop you at the place from where the actual climb starts. To climb the 12 km you have 5 options. Further 2 km up is Bhairon temple which is little steep but can be done slowly and steadily. I have been there on foot only so not much idea on other means of transport to that destination.

The 5 options for first 12 km are:

1. Walk all the way up
2. Pony ride
3. Seat ride. In this mode you sit in a small box kind chair and 4 people will lift you till the top.
4. Battery operated green vehicles
5. Helicopter ride. This is till mata vaishno devi cave and not to Bhairon. It will cost you about 1500 per person and is a 10 min joy ride. Best for people running short of time or any other physical challenge.

Whatever you plan to do decide at the base that you need to do the full 14 km or skip the last 2 km journey to Bhairon temple. This will make you mentally prepared for the complete journey.

You can start the climb at any time of the day and come down also any time. The route is busy 24X7 and you will find lot of people of your way up or down. For night times at the Darshan, carry some woolen clothes. Climbing up in day time might make you sweat but the night time can get little chilly.

Once you have reached the top at 12 km, you need to get in a queue which can be long of festival times and summer vacations. You can carry some general medicines otherwise the altitude is not that high to cause any problems. In case any irritation or any other problem crops up, there are health check centers at some distances on the route up.

Wishing all you travelers a happy darshan. Jai Mata di!

The devotional trip to Vaishno devi is not void of photography opportunity. The cave in Himalayan range provides decent opportunity for photos specially for sunsets and times when it snows.

People interested in street photography will enjoy the times and the true emotions of people can be caught.

Some of my photographic shots can be found at the following image link.

One of the holy places mentioned in Hindu religion. It is a place where pinds are placed which symbolize the presence of power of 3 goddess namely Mata Maha Kali, Mata Maha Lakshmi and Mata Maha Saraswati.

The goddess also known as Devis in hindi language lay the foundation for devotees visiting this place for decades now. I have been a regular visitor to this place for about 15+ years now. Earlier in life regular was annual but now it is more about getting the opportunity to visit once in 2-3 years.

It is also said that a devotee cannot visit this place till the goddess calls for a visit from the devotee. This is a strong belief which has carried on from the past. Even if a devotee does numerous efforts, he/she cannot visit the devi until he/she has been called by HER.

This visit was one after quite a while and quite a luxurious one. I was accompanied with my sister’s husband.

At the below image you can click to find a detailed trip reports.The PDF document is about 260 Kb in size

With the formation of Shrine board, the whole system has been reformed to everyone’s advantage and the work is continuous. There are security checks as well due to the constant threat to this place.

People of all ages can visit this place even with the trek of 14 km. From the base till the top, there are now different means of transport services available from a horseback, battery operated vehicles to even helicopters which take a mere 10 minutes to ascend and drop you.

Go with a clean mind and devoted heart and thank god for all the things provided to you in your life.