Vaishno Devi shrine sees record pilgrims

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JAMMU, Dec 27 (IANS) A record 6.7 million pilgrims have visited the

Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir this year with nearly 25,000

devotees climbing the mountainous terrain every day despite snow,

rains and sub-zero temperatures.

 

"We have recorded the arrival of pilgrims at 6.7 million and with the

rush increasing in the run upto New Year's Eve, we hope to receive

over 6.9 million people," Puneet Kumar, additional chief executive

officer of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, told IANS.

 

The temple saw 6.5 million pilgrims in 2005.

 

"So far, the arrival of pilgrims is an all-time high," Kumar said.

 

Vaishno Devi is nestled in the Shivalik range in the Himalayan

foothills, 56 km north of here, and has become one of the most popular

pilgrimage centres in north India.

 

Devotees would earlier visit the shrine only during Hindu festivals

but the past few years has seen large crowds on Sikh and Christian

festivals as well.

 

On Christmas, over 28,000 people sought the blessings of the goddess

and there is likely to be a huge rush on New Year's Eve too.

 

"There were more than 40,000 pilgrims on Dec 31, 2005. We expect

higher arrivals this time," Kumar noted.

 

He said that additional facilities built by the shrine board had also

contributed to the increased rush.

 

The 13 km track from the base camp in Katra has now been made

hassle-free and there are public utility services along the way.

Availability of good accommodation and food at reasonable rates has

also made the shrine popular.

 

"Governor Lt. Gen (Retd.) S.K. Sinha, chairman of the shrine board,

took personal interest in creating facilities for the comfort of

pilgrims," Kumar added.

 

"Our effort is to make the pilgrimage comfortable so that more people

can come and fulfil their religious obligations," he said.

 

SOURCE: News India

URL: http://in.news./061227/43/6ameb.html