Attractions
Attractions
Katra is a small town in the foothills of Trikuta Mountains which is famous as the base camp for visiting the shrine of Vaishno Devi. Located in the Uddhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, the prime attraction of Katra is Vaishno Devi Temple. This is why it is also referred to as Katra Vaishno Devi. Growing as a tourist attraction, people now have access to helicopters and eco friendly vehicles. Katra is worth visiting, even if you are not on a pilgrimage, because attractions like the Banganga, the Chenab river, and a large amount of peaks around offer great places for mountain climbing and family outings.
When we think of Katra, the only place that immediately comes to mind is the Vaishno Devi temple. The temple is situated amidst Trikuta mountains. The shrine has a cave where Mata appeared in three rock forms, known as Pindies. The entry gate to the yatra is called Darshani Darwaza and is located 1 km from the bus stand. To reach the holy shrine, you have to trek 13-kilometers uphill from Katra. There are horse and palanquin services for the elderly and weak.
Another holy stop when moving towards Vaishno Devi is Ban Ganga. It is one of the best places to visit in Katra. The Shivalik Range of Himalayas is where this Ganga originates from and visiting it is one of the best things to do in Kahsmir in June. Once Mata Vaishanvi was going towards her abode in the cave when the monkey accompanying her felt thirsty. With no water around, Maa shot an arrow in the earth, out of which the Ganga sprang up. That gave it the name Ban (arrow) Ganga. Interestingly, it is also called Bal (hair) Ganga, as it is believed that Maa washed her hair in it.
After drenching in the spirit and energy of Maa in Vaishno Devi temple, move up a bit to pay Baba Bhairavnath a visit, one of the best Katra sightseeing places. You just have to walk 2 to 3 km upwards from Vaishno Devi to reach Bhairavnath temple. The view up here is more majestic and mesmerizing. This temple is dedicated to saint Bhairav who later turned demonic. He was killed by Maa Vaishno Devi here. Since he resented his sins, he was forgiven.