Mata Vaishno Devi Temple: Timings, History, & Temple Rituals

Mata Vaishno Devi Temple: Are you also Planning to visit one of the most religious holy places in Hinduism Mata Vaishno Devi Temple? You need to keep a few things in mind before visiting this Temple. Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is one of the most divine pilgrimage regions in Northern India.

It is one of the widely toured Hindu temples dedicated to Mata Vaishno Devi. It is located in Katra, in the Trikuta Mountains within the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Devotees from every corner of the world visit this holy place to show their devotion to the goddess and seek blessings.

According to Hindu tradition, it is believed that whosoever is blessed by the goddess will get whatever they desire. The Prilgrim’s journey from the base town of Katra to the holy cave is approximately thirteen kilometres, which is much more than just a physical challenge.

Chanting “Jai Mata DI” with each step shows the testament of millions of devotees and their faith and devotion towards the Goddess. Read this complete blog post to find out some interesting facts about this “Aishwarya” temple dedicated to Mata Vaishno Devi.

Mata Vaishno Devi :The Divine Enchantress

Mata Vaishno Devi is a powerful manifestation of divine femininity that combines the energies of Goddess Makhali, the ferocious protector; Mahalakshmi, the goddess of wealth and fortune; and Mahasaraswati; the goddess of learning.

The goddess resides inside the holy cave in the three natural rock forms known as “Pindis” which signifies the goddess in three different forms holding religious importance among pilgrims. There are no other statues or idols of gods inside the cave.

It is believed that the skull of Mata Sati fell at this place which is one of the reasons that this place is considered one of the most important Shaktipeeth. The origin of Mata Vaishno Devi is deeply rooted in the Hindu scriptures. According to Hindu Mythology, it is believed that a goddess was born in the southern part of India as a young girl named Vaishnavi.

From a young age, she has been a sincere devotee of lord Vishnu and displayed an uncompromising devotion to her faith. She was born to a sage named Ratnakar Sagar, who has been childless for several years. Brought up in the spirit of devotion to Lord Vishnu, her devotion to him intensified, and she expressed her desire to get married to him.

At the time of Ramayana when Lord Rama is searching for his wife Mata Sita comes across Vaishnavi, where she vowed to get married to him. Lord Rama being Ekpatnivarta cannot marry any other woman.

Impressed by her devotion, he promised her that he would marry her in the last reincarnation in Kaliyug in the avatar of Kalki. Hence, Lord Rama asked her to meditate in the cave of the Trikuta Mountains which is now known as the Mata Vaishno Devi.

History of Mata Vaishno Devi Temple

Many legends surround the temple and many believe that the temple is a manifestation of the Hindu Goddess. The historical significance behind the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is still unfolded and shrouded in Hindu mythology and legends.

It is difficult to mention when exactly the pilgrimage at this holy shrine started. Based on Hindu scriptures it is believed that the holy cave is almost around a million years old.

As per Hindu scriptures, it is said that Pandavas were the first ones who built the Temple at Kol Kandoli and Bhawan to pay gratitude to the Goddess. Watching the holy cave you will notice five stone structures, which are believed to be rock symbols of the five Pandavas.

The first mention of this holy cave is been in seen in the epic Mahabharat. When the Battle was ongoing between the Pandavas and Kurukshetra, on the advice of Krishna, Arjuna prayed to seek the blessing for victory.

That’s when Arjuna addresses the Mother Goddess as ‘Jambookatak Chityaishu Nityam Sannihitalaye’, which means ‘you who always dwell in the temple on the slope of the mountain in Jamboo’ (Jamboo here refers to present-day Jammu).

The cave was discovered by a Hindu Priest named Pandit Sridhar who saw the mother Goddess in his dream and guided him to find the temple. Impressed by him for finding a temple, the Mata Vaishno Devi appeared and blessed him with four sons. Also, made him the custodian of the holy cave, and his role has continued with passing generations even today.

Timings of Mata Vaishno Devi Temple

Mata Vaishno Devi Temple welcomes its devotees for pilgrimage throughout the year. Lakhs of devotees visit this holy place every year, specifically at the time of festivals or any special days the pilgrimage season seems to surge.

Devotees can seek blessings on any weekday from 5:00 am to noon, after which the Temple is temporarily closed it is believed it is timing for the Goddess to have some rest. It reopens again from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm giving devotees another opportunity to seek the blessing of the Goddess.

The General Timings of Temple are as follows:

• Morning Aarti: Gates of the temple open early in the morning, allowing the devotees to observe morning aarti. Generally, the timing of morning aarti is around 6:00 am to 8:00 am. The flames of aarti light in front of Mother Goddess and the temple fills with devotees’ hymns and chants.
• Daytime Aarti: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm day time Aarti is performed which is also called Bhog Aarti. During this Aarti Bhog is offered in front of the Goddess idol and after that distributed in the form of prasad to devotees.
• Evening Aarti: As the day comes to close to draws, the evening aarti is the last Aarti offered to Mata Vaishno Devi. The timing of evening aarti is from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm when the temple glows up in the light of lamp and diyas.
• Night-Time Darshan: The Temple is open for night darshan on certain days for the devotees to gain a unique and magical experience. Visiting the temple at Night is another experience the mountains are covered in darkness through which the divine Temple peeks with dazzling lights.

Rituals Inside Mata Vaishno Devi Temple

Aatam Puja

Before the Aarti is performed, there is a ritual called “Aatam Puja’’ where the Vaishno Devi is bathed in milk, water, sugar, dahi, and honey. Pujaris chant shlokas and mantras during the process when the Goddess is adorned in saree, Chola, chuni, and ornaments. Thereafter, tilak is placed at the forehead of the divine Goddess and pujaris perform puja after this process.

Aarti

Aarti is the most important ceremony that is performed in Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Vaishno Mata Aarti is performed twice or thrice a day, aarti performed in the morning is known as ‘“Mangal Aarti”, and one performed in the evening is known as “Sandhya aarti”.

The Diya or Joyti is lightened up to perform the Aarti in front of the idol. At Mata Vaishno Devi Temple Aarti is offered in two places firstly in front of the Mother Goddess and secondly outside the holy cave. Devotees assemble in the front of the temple to seek blessings from the divine Goddess.

Parsad Offering

In Hindu temples offering a prasad to God or Goddess has its significance. After performing various rituals and aarti, different types of food items like fruits and sweets are offered to Mata Vaishno Devi.

It is considered that the deity partakes of and then returns the offering which is then called Parasd. Later the Priest offers the Parsad to devotess as a blessing of Goddess.

Charan Paduka Darshan

At Mata Vaishno Devi Temple another ritual that is performed is Charan Paduka Darshan. It is the footprints of Mata Vaishno Devi that is situated at a distance of 1.5 Kilometers from the main temple.

It is said that this white temple where Charan Paduka is placed is believed to be the place where Mata Vaishno Devi stopped over to check if she was still being chased by Bhairon Nath.

To see if Bhairav Nath was still chasing her or not, she stood on the rock to see him since the rock supposedly contained her footprints. Several Devotees visit this temple to pray and pay gratitude to the Goddess’s footprints.

Havan

Havan or yagna is the fire ritual that is performed every morning at Yagyshalla inside the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. The temple priest performs Hawan by offering ghee, herbs, and sacred items into the fire while chanting mantras. Performing Havan creates the energy that not only purifies but also brings peace and harmony to the surroundings.

How to Reach Mata Vaishno Devi Temple?

Before Visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple it is important to know how to reach. Reaching the temple is not as much as difficult as it used to be because of the various modes of transport that are available today.

Here is some detailed information about reaching Mata Vaishno Devi temple by various modes of transport.

By Air

The Closest Airport from Katra is Jammu Airport also known as Satwari Airport. It is located almost 50 km from Katra and has well-connected flights from other cities in India. It is one fastest ways to reach Katra from any city in India. Devotees can take a taxi from the airport to Katra once they reach Jammu airport.

Helicopter services are also available for devotees from Jammu to Katra. Pilgrims can take a helicopter from Katra to Sanjichhat, located about 2.5 kilometres from the Vaishno Devi shrine. Anyone can easily book helicopter services from the online platform Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

By Train

This mode of transport is considered one of the most convenient ways to reach Katra. The nearest railway station to Katra is Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station.

This railway station is just three kilometres away from the starting point of the trek to Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Several direct trains are available from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata which make the routes easier for devotees.

By Road

Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is connected with major cities through several national and state highways. Government-run buses that offer various bus services for people regularly in nearby states. From several cities to Katra there are several private air-conditioned deluxe buses and taxes are also available.

Reaching Holy Bhawan from Katra takes around thirteen kilometres of uphill trek. From Katra there are two ways to reach Holy Bhawan one is the main or direct route and the second is an alternative route.

The old route is covered with Rain shelters and water points are present along the route. Proper lighting is installed on this route making it easier for people to trek easily. On the other hand, the alternative trek is the newest track starts from Tarkote Marg. This track is linked with an older track but it does not allow any palki and ponies.

Spiritual Significance of Vaishno Devi Pilgrimage

The spiritual significance of Mata Vaishno Devi temple is deeply rooted in Hindu Mythology. The journey to Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is a spiritual path that strengthens faith, hope, and inner growth. Let’s look at some of the spiritual significance of Mata Vaishno Devi Temple:

1. Purification of the Soul: The journey to Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is not a physical journey, it is a journey for soul purification. The challenging journey is the test of pilgrims’ dedication and devotion. The journey to Mata Vaishno Devi Temple fosters spiritual attachment and purifies devotees’ minds and souls.
2. Path Of Faith and Devotion: Pilgrims need to cover a trek of around 13 kilometres to reach the holy cave, which signifies a journey of faith and devotion. This challenging journey to the goddess is the test of one’s devotion and determination.
3. Karma Cleaning:  Visiting this divine temple of the Mother Goddess is believed to remove all past sins and negative energies from one’s life. It is believed that one who visits with pure intent receives a goddess blessing and a deep understanding of their life purpose.
4. Blessings of Goddess Vaishno Devi: Mata Vaishno Devi is a combined form of three Goddesses Mahakali, Mata, Mahalakshmi, and Mata Mahasaraswati. Hence, devotees believe seeking blessing from the Mother Goddess grants Moksha and fulfils all their desires and wishes.

Conclusion

Mata Vaishno Devi Temple holds the sacred shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi which holds a special place in the hearts of millions of devotees. Millions of devotees visit this holy cave every year, especially during the Navratri festival.

This temple is the second most visited religious place after the Trimula Venkateshwara Mandir. For devotees, this temple of Goddess Lakshmi symbolizes hope, strength, and spiritual belonging.

This blog covers the history, rituals, timings, routes, and spiritual significance of Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. We hope through this blog, you get the desired information that you are looking for.