My grandmother used to say that every family must have one pilgrimage journey every year… reason… of course to get the blessings of Almighty God. I am following this small piece of advice from her every year…. well almost every year. This year we planned to go to Vaishno Devi Yatra and also decided to do it on foot from Katra… as always

Journey started in a cosy cabin of train which was suppose to drop us at Katra in the early morning at 5.10 AM. We expected the late arrival and were sleeping calmly. Then there is a knock on the door and someone said… उठो साहब उतरने का टाइम आ गया (utho saheb utarne ka time aa gaya). Dinesh (my ever-enthusiastic husband) looked from the curtain and told me…. देखो ज़रा  (dekho jara)…

I, very lazily, peeped from the corner of the curtain and literally jumped off and sat and stared the beautiful view…. it was amazing…. actually breath-taking…

Beautiful Nature… are the words to define the views when you look at the mountains from Katra. We started our on-foot journey at around 11.45 AM. After crossing the Banganga check post, the actual climbing started… taking our nerves out of us. Kashish (my beautiful and very sweet daughter and adorable and sincere… i can go on n on n on) was very excited and that was showing in her speed. The views were stunning… nature was at its best… weather was pleasant… family time… then what was disturbing us???

HORSES / PONIES….    Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has done its bit by bifurcating the passage in 2 parts – one for Paidal Yatri and one for Horses/Ponies….

BUT WHO REALLY CARES?

Horses…. NO

Horse walas…. NO

Riders…. NO

On-Footers…. DEFINITELY YES

The sound system works wonderfully across the whole yatra right from the Banganga to Bhawan. Listening to Mantras and Bhajans makes your journey easier… much easier…

It also keep announcing that the Horse walas should not control the horses by pulling its tail instead they must operate the wonderful animals from the front… they should not use stick to control the so helpful animals… they should not make the serviceable animals run fast…

BUT WHO REALLY CARES?

Horses…. Even if they want… they can’t

Horse walas…. NOT AT ALL

Riders…. REALLY NOT… They just want the yatra to be completed

On-Footers…. DEFINITELY YES… they are the ones who suffer the most

SMVDSB is doing great job by managing the large number of दर्शनार्थीs, providing the facilities like clean public toilets, खाने लायक खाना, Beverages etc.

But what about the dirt and inconvenience caused by the horses to on-footers. Everytime I visit Vaishno Devi, I feel that the number of horses have doubled… good facility for people who cannot go on foot… the palkis… the helicoptors and now ropeway is also getting constructed…. is it not affecting the environment… is it not diluting the holiness of this pilgrimage.

SMVDSB should dedicate a route for on-footers right from Katra like they have done from Ardhakwari to Bhawan…

Our hotel wala told that  one such route is already made but due to union of horse walas it is not operational…

SMVDSB must also take steps to keep the beautiful city of Katra maintaon its natural beauty. When we were returning to hotel after yatra, autowala had to take the outer route… and what we saw was soooo filthy… there was garbage all over… so much construction going on… it seems after 2-3 years there will be no mountains in Katra… only filth and roads…

I only wish that this holy shrine maintains its beauty, holiness… and the divine goddess keep everyone blessed.