Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 21: The shrines of Jammu are witnessing heavy rush of devotees in the ongoing Shardiya Navratras which has in turn boosted the economic activities associated with these religious places.
“About 40,000 pilgrims are daily visiting the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi Ji and we too have over-busy working hours facilitating the visiting devotees with things they need for the pilgrimage,” informed Rakesh Roshan-a shopkeeper in Katra town who sells dry-fruits to the pilgrims.
A large number of pilgrims are visiting the revered Kol Kandoli temple in Nagrota-popular as the first Darshan of Goddess Vaishno Devi.
“Bhandaras are going on at the temple regularly since the day of first Navratra and today only about 15,000 devotees paid obeisance at the shrine,” informed Pandit Jai Prakash Sharma-Head Priest at Kol Kandoli temple adding that renowned singers from Punjab and Jammu apart from others are pulling crowds at the shrine during the programmes of devotional song.
“Today only about 10 groups of devotees had organized stalls for eatables with special dishes for those observing Navratra fasts while the temple management has also arranged some of these Bhandaras,” he continued and further informed that Bhandaras shall continue till the festival of Dussehra.
However, Mahant Bita Pujari at the Fort Shrine of Bawe Wali Mata informed that only 40 per cent of the expected rush of devotees was visiting the shrine during Navratras.
“Earlier it rained for some days and as the Paddy reaping was also going on in rural areas, the rush of devotees is not what we expected during Navratras,” he informed adding that the shrine has put in place wheel chairs along with volunteers to facilitate the visiting devotees having problems in walking to the temple due to age factor or other physical ailment.
Devotees are also thronging at the popular shrine of Jode Wali Mata in hilly area of Bani in Kathua district.
“The shrine is revered in the area and devotees from remote areas like Basoli, Bani, Jammu etc visit daily there during Navratras,” Raghuwant Singh Billawaria-a devotee who returned after paying obeisance at the shrine informed adding that there was adequate arrangements for staying and food for the visiting devotees.
Similar reports were there from the shrines of Jasrota temple in Kathua, Chichi Mata Mandir in Samba, Sarthal Devi shrine in Kishtwar etc.
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