Vaishno Devi

The shrine originally began as a sacred site for local tribes who worshipped the region's natural geography. The mountain's three prominent peaks were revered as the goddess "Trikuta Devi", a name that was used for centuries. Following migrations into the Jammu region around the 12th century (after the 1192 Battle of Tarain), a cultural synthesis took place. During this period, the local deity Trikuta Devi gradually became identified with the goddess Vaishno Devi. However, the original name remained in common use for a long time; 19th-century European travelers, including G.T. Vigne in 1842 and Sir Richard Temple in 1859, still referred to the deity as "Trikuta Devi" or "Trikuta Mai".

For much of its early history, the pilgrimage to the shrine was largely limited to ascetics and local residents due to the dense forests and difficult terrain. However, historical records indicate that regional rulers occasionally made the journey. According to the 1847 royal chronicle Rajdarshani by Ganeshdas Badehra, Raja Jas Dev of Jammu visited the shrine in 996 CE. Traditions also state that the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, visited the site in 1672. In the 18th century, Maharaja Ranjit Dev of Jammu visited the shrine to seek blessings prior to a political trip to Lahore. Following his visit, he established the first formal facilities for pilgrims, including water stations and temporary shelters.

Although the Vaishno Devi temple is now the most popular Devi shrine in the region, its popularity is relatively recent. In 1971, when Inderjit Bhardwaj did a study of Devi shrines in the Siwalik mountains, he did not mention the Vaishno Devi temple as particularly important..

The temple, at a height of 1,585 metres (5,200 ft) is 12 km from Katra on Trikuta hill. It is about 61 km from Jammu city. Geological studies show that the Trikuta Hills are primarily made of limestone and formed during the Precambrian era. A geological survey cited by the Shrine Board suggests that the holy cave is close to one million years old. There is also a mention of the Trikuta hill in Rigveda, the place where the temple is located. The Mahabharata, which gives the account of the Pandavas and the Kurukshetra War, does mention the worship of goddess Vaishno Devi. Before the Kurukshetra War Arjuna is said to have worshipped Durga by the advice of Lord Krishna for the blessings. Pleased by his devotion, Mother Goddess appeared in front of him in the form of Vaishno Devi. When goddess appeared, Arjuna started praising her with a stotra, in which a Shloka goes by saying ‘ Jambookatak Chityaishu Nityam Sannihitalaye ’, the translation refers to the Goddess residing in a mountainside temple in 'Jambhu,' believed to be the ancient name for Jammu. Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Jagmohan says, "the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is an ancient one whose antiquity is pre-Mahabharathan, Lord Krishna is believed to have advised Arjuna to go up in the hills of 'Jambhu' and seek the blessings of Vaishno Devi before taking up arms in the battlefield. 'Jambhu' is identified with present-day Jammu.

Lakshmi, also known as Shri, is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of fortune, wealth, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She, Parvati, and Sarasvati form the trinity of goddesses called the Tridevi.

Read more about [Lakshmi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi).

The Vaishno Devi shrine is one of the most visited Hindu pilgrimage sites in India, attracting millions of devotees annually. According to official data from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the shrine receives over 8 million pilgrims each year, making it one of the busiest religious destinations in the country. The shrine is also regarded as one of the most prominent pilgrimage centres in the Himalayan region, comparable to other major shrines such as Amarnath and Kedarnath. Its well-developed infrastructure, including paved trekking routes, helicopter services, and digital registration systems, has made it a model for pilgrimage management in India. In addition, the shrine is among the highest-earning religious institutions in India, receiving substantial donations from devotees, which are utilised for infrastructure development and welfare activities.

The most prominent festivals held at Vaishno Devi Temple are Navaratri, a nine nights festival celebrating Devi's victory over evil demons and Diwali, a festival of lights symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

The Navaratri festival is a festival celebrated during the month of Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.

Located in: Reasi, Jammu & Kashmir.