Vaishno Devi Temple

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.[1][2] A geological study of the Holy Cave has indicated its age to be nearly a million years. There is also a mention of the Trikuta hill in Rigveda, the place where the temple is located.[3]

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 ’, which means ‘you who always dwell in the temple on the slope of the mountain in Jambhu’ — probably referring to the present day Jammu.[4] 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. Arjuna while worshipping Vaishno Devi, calls Her, the highest Yogin who is free from decrepitude and decay, who is the Mother of the Vedas and the Science of Vedanta and who is giver of Victory and personification of victory itself".[5] It is also generally believed that the Pandavas were the first to build the temples at Kol Kandoli and Bhawan in reverence and gratitude for the Mother Goddess. On a mountain, just adjacent to the Trikuta Mountain and overlooking the Holy Cave are five stone structures, which are believed to be the rock symbols of the five Pandavas.[6][7][8]

The appearance of Vaishno Devi to Shridhar and the story of Bhairon Nath

Bhairon Nath Temple, where the head of Bhairon Nath fell on hill

It is said that Bhairon Nath, a famous Hindu Tantric, saw the young Vaishno Devi at an agricultural fair and fell madly in love with her. Vaishno Devi fled into Trikuta hills to escape his amorous advances, later she turned into her original form of Durga and cut off his head with her sword in a cave.[9][10]

According to author Manohar Sajnani, Hindu mythology holds that the original abode of Vaishno Devi was Ardh Kunwari, a place about 6 km[11] between Katra town and the cave.

^ Aggarwal, J. C.; Agrawal, S. P. (1995). Modern History of Jammu and Kashmir: Ancient times to Shimla Agreement. Concept Publishing Company. p. 10. ISBN 978-8170225560. ^ "Six toughest treks that pilgrims undertake". The Economic Times. 23 June 2015. ^ "Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board :: Holy Shrine :: History of the Holy Shrine :: History of the Holy Shrine". Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2022. ^ "Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine". Times of India. 15 March 2018. ^ Jagmohan (2005). Soul and Structure of Governance in India. Allied Publishers. p. 334. ISBN 978-8177648317. ^ "President visits Vaishno Devi, inaugurates two new facilities". India Today. 2 September 2014. ^ "Maiden master plan for Vaishnodevi shrine area". The Economic Times. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2018. ^ "Vaishno Devi-Bhairon Mandir ropeway service starts from today". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 December 2018. ^ Journal of Religious Studies, Volume 14. Department of Religious Studies, Punjabi University. 1986. p. 56. ^ Pintchman 2001, p. 60. ^ Rajput, Raghav (21 November 2023). ""Vaishno Mata" - Vaishno Mata: Who Is Simrat Kour In 'Gadar 2'". mygeniusbrand.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 21 November 2023.