How
to reach
Katra town
Located
at an altitude of about 2500 feet above sea level, Katra
is the base camp for the Yatra to the Holy Shrine of Shri
Mata Vaishno Devi Ji. This is the last point uptill which
any type of modern transport can go (except the recently
started Helicopter service, which takes the pilgrims right
till Sanjichhat, just a couple of kilometers from the Holy
Shrine). Therefore, for all practical purposes, Katra serves
as the base camp. 
From
here a trek of around 12 kms takes a pilgrim to the Holy
Shrine. One can undertake this trek on foot or on horses/ponies
or on palanquins (palkies or dolies). While most of the
pilgrims prefer to go on foot, some who find it difficult
to negotiate the climb hire a pony or a palanquin.
Porters, Ponies and Palanquins.... More
Registering for the Yatra
This is the the first and foremost thing to do after
reaching Katra
All visitors are required to register themselves before
undertaking the trek. This is done at the Yatra Registration
Counter (YRC) situated at the Bus Stand where the registered
yatris are issued a Yatra Slip, free of cost.
This is a mandatory requirement and without a valid Yatra
Slip pilgrims are not allowed to proceed beyond Yatra Parchi
Check Counter at Banganga. This is necessary to regualte
the Yatra at Bhawan and also on the track. This Yatra Slip
is to be preserved as the same coveres devotees with an
insurance cover against any untoward casualty due to accidents,
to the tune of Rs.1,00,000 for majors and Rs. 25,000 for
minors....More.
Facilities
at Katra
Katra serves as the base camp for the Yatra. It is also
the point where yatries halt for a while and make preparations
for the trek to the Holy Shrine. In order to cater to the
requirements of the yatries, a wide variety of facilities
are available in and around Katra.
Accommodation:- For the benefit of the
pilgrims, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board provides clean,
well maintained and very economical accommodation at Niharika
Yatri Niwas and Shakti Bhawan situated at bus stand, Katra.
Rooms, both air conditioned and Non air conditioned are
available. In addition, dormitory accommodation at Rs. 50/-
per bed is available in Shakti Bhawan (Niharika complex).
Another 500 bedded accommodation in Sarai building is under
construction near the 2nd Yatra counter (YRC II) and is
expected to be available shortly. In all the accommodation
facilities provided by Shrine Board, there is an additional
facility of a hygienic, no profit no loss Bhojanalayas,
Souvenir Shop and a free cloak room. Free parking of private
vehicles is also allowed.
Accommodation for all Shrine Board Guest houses/dormitories
can be booked (subject to availability) at the reception
of these guest houses or at the Enquiry and Reservation
counter at Niharika complex. Advance reservation is possible
by sending a demand draft of the required amount to the
Chief Executive Officer/Dy, Manager (E&R) payable at
Katra.
For More Information on Rented Accommodation. Click
Here.
For Online Accommodation Reservation. Click
Here.
Free Accommodation: - In addition to the
above facilities provided by Shrine Board on no profit no
loss basis, there is also a provision for basic accommodation
for yatries on an absolutely FREE basis. This accommodation
is available in Niharika complex and near Yatra Parchi counter
II (YRC-II). Besides accommodation, blankets are also provided
free of cost. During days of rush additional free accommodation
is also made available to the Yatries in the Niharika complex
itself.
Other Accommodation facilities: - There
are various Sarais/Dharamshalas in Katra, which provide
good accommodation to the pilgrims, either free of cost
or at a nominal price. While some of them do provide facilities
to the pilgrims, many of these places have passed in the
hands of certain people with vested interests who insist
on the pilgrims buying offerings from their own shops located
in the premises of these Sarais. Pilgrims should be careful
of such elements as they tend to sell items at a price many
times higher than their original value.
There are various lodges, Guest Houses, ordinary and luxury
hotels, Cottages, Resorts and all types of accommodation
facilities available too, which provide accommodation to
the devotees. Pilgrims have a wide range to choose from
depending upon their taste and budget.
Food and Refreshment: - Katra has all
types of vegetarian restaurants and dining places. Being
a religious place, almost all these restaurants and catering
outlets provide pure vegetarian food to the pilgrims in
which even onion and garlic is not used. Pilgrims are also
requested to preserve and uphold the sanctity of the Holy
place and desist from demanding non vegetarian meals or
alcohol from any outlets.
General items of use: - Provision, General
and Medical stores are available all over Katra as also
at Adkuwari and Bhawan.
Parking of private vehicles: - Sufficient
parking spaces are available in and around Katra. Other
than the general bus stand, chartered and private buses
can be parked at the second bus stand near Yatra Registration
Counter No.2 located on Udhampur road. The Shrine Board
provides free parking facility in its various complexes.
This facility is however open only to bona fide users of
the complexes.
Cloak Room facility: - Considering that
many yatries would like to leave behind their excess luggage
in Katra before undertaking the Yatra, Shri Mata Vaishno
Devi Shrine Board has provided for free cloak room facility
in all its guest houses/ lodging places. Cloak room facility
is also offered by many hotels and lodges. Certain private
Sarais, shops and establishments also claim to offer such
facilities but yatries are advised to reassure themselves
of the credentials of the service provider before entrusting
their luggage to them. In particular, video cameras and
mobile phones, besides other electronic equipment are not
allowed on the track for security reasons. Yatries must
make adequate arrangement for the safe keeping of such equipments
before embarking on the yatra. More
about Cloak Room
Railway Reservation: - A computerized
Railway Reservation Counter has been opened in the Niharika
complex near the main bus stand. Through this Railway Reservation
facility, reservations to and from any railway station can
be now availed of at this counter. The infrastructural and
logistical support to this Centre is being provided by Shri
Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. More
about Railway Reservation.
Communication: - STD/ISD/PCO booths function
all over Katra, along the track and right uptill Bhawan.
A few of them are open for all 24 hours. Post and telegraph
facilities are also available at Katra, Adkuwari and Bhawan.
Katra also has a Speed Post facility to/from major destinations.
A few cyber cafes are also functional.
Souvenirs and Publications: - Those who
wish to purchase Souvenirs and momentos may do so from the
Souvenir Shops of the Shrine Board, located at Katra. Various
kinds of Prashad, cassettes, books, chunnies and cholas
are available on no profit basis. Similar outlets are also
available at Bhawan, Sanjichhat, Adkuwari and Vaishnavi
Dham at Jammu. Click Here
to see more details about Souvenir Shops.
Police: - There is a Police station at
Katra as well as Bhawan, besides police posts at Banganga
and Adkuwari.
Banking: - Many nationalized banks have
their branches at Katra. The State Bank of India, Bank of
Punjab and J&K Bank also provide ATM facilities at Katra.
Many more banks including ICICI Bank, UTI Bank are in the
process of installing their ATMs here. The J&K Bank
and the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) have their branches
at Bhawan also. More about Banking
Services.
Medical Facilities: - While no specific
medical certificate is needed to undertake the Yatra, those
suffering from heart, breathing or similar ailments are
advised to proceed with the Yatra only after due medical
checkup and advice. Cardiac, asthmatic and orthopedic problems
are known to get aggravated due to the strenuous climb.
To the medical needs of the yatries there is a block hospital
at Katra as well as a 24 hours charitable dispensary run
under the aegis of the Shrine Board. Emergency needs can
be taken care of by basic medical facilities at Banganga,
Adkuwari, Sanjichhat and Bhawan. Oxygen cylinders and emergency
drugs are also available. Specialized and advanced medical
treatment is however available only at Jammu. More
details about Medical Facilities.
