Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Temple is situated in the Trikuta Hills in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir. Hindu devotees from all over the world visit this famed religious site where the Mother Goddess or Mata Vaishno Devi is said to fulfill their wishes. This religious place is considered the most important Shaktipeeth as it is believed, here the skull of the Goddess Sati fell.
At Mata Vaishno Devi Cave, the goddess is in the form of a five and a half feet tall rock which has three heads or the Pindies. On Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, devotees make traditional offerings to Mata of chunri (a red coloured drape), sarees, dry fruits, silver or gold ornaments, cholas, flowers etc.
History of Vaishno Devi
Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board was formed in 1986 and ever since this most popular religious site in Jammu started to attract a lot of Hindu pilgrims.
The holy cave of Mata Vaishno Devi is said to have been discovered by Pandit Sridhar, a Hindu priest. Goddess Vaishnavi appeared in the dream of the priest and instructed him on how to find here abode on Trikuta Hills. The priest following her instruction heads out for the journey after the dream and found the cave as instructed earlier. Mata Vaishno Devi appeared to him and blessed him with four sons. She also gave him the boon of being the custodian of the cave. Even today, Pandit Shridhar’s descendant abide by the commitment.
