Plants To Be Served As Prasad In Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine

Maa Vaishno Devi temple, situated on the Trikuta Hills in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, is the second most visited temple in India. Renowned as one of the most famous temples globally, it is dedicated to Mother Goddess Mata Vaishno Devi and is believed to grant wishes. It holds significant importance as a Shaktipeeth, with great saints asserting that it is where the skull of Goddess Sati fell.

However, in the latest development, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board came forth with an innovative idea of to offer ‘Prasad’.  The shrine board is going to offer plants as ‘ prasad’ to the devotees coming to the shrine. In the base camp of the holy shrine, at the Niharika Complex in Katra, a high-tech outlet is being set up. This initiative aims to raise awareness among people about the importance of connecting with nature and understanding the need to conserve it.

Speaking on the same, the Assistant Conservator of Forests, J&K Forest Department Vinay Khajuria says,”Our efforts are to see that we make people aware of the environment more and more so that people love plants & grow plants at their home. As a part of that, CEO had told us to provide these plants to people on normal charges. Last year too we sold 10,000 saplings to people…Taking forward this initiative, we received orders that the devotees should take back one plant each as Mata ka prasad…”

Special Chopper For Pilgrims

Recently, in a bid to enhance the pilgrimage experience for devotees, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is set to launch a convenient helicopter service from Jammu to Sanjhi Chhat, possibly commencing in June.

Insiders familiar with the initiative reveal that the SMVDSB aims to cater to pilgrims seeking swift darshan at Bhawan, facilitating a seamless journey within a day.

Pending final arrangements, the helicopter service is slated to debut in the initial weeks of June, offering pilgrims a direct route to the Panchhi helipad, a mere 2.5 kilometers from Bhawan. Notably, special darshan arrangements will be arranged for these travelers, ensuring a fulfilling spiritual experience.

The Shrine Board intends to introduce two distinctive packages to suit varying preferences: the ‘Same Day Return’ (SDR) package priced at Rs 35,000/- and the ‘Next Day Return’ (NDR) package at Rs 50,000/- per person.

Under the SDR package, pilgrims will be treated to a comprehensive itinerary, including transportation via battery car to Bhawan, provision of special darshan slips, distribution of ‘prasad,’ priority access to cable car services for worship at the ‘Bhairon Temple,’ and return transportation via battery car to Panchhi Helipad for departure to Jammu Airport.

This initiative is poised to redefine the pilgrimage experience, offering devotees a swift and hassle-free journey to seek the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi.

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