Bhawan...
Facilities available at Bhawan
The Shrine Board has provided various facilities
for the yatries at Bhawan, to facilitate comfortable Darshans.
Accommodation
Self contained and furnished rooms are available on rent
for the yatries at the Main Bhawan complex as well as Gauri
and Vaishnavi Bhawan complexes. Dormitory accommodation
is also available at Manokamna Bhawan complex. This accommodation
can be booked from the Enquiry and Reservation section,
Niharika complex at Katra. Since the number of rented rooms
at Bhawan is limited, yatries are advised to suitably plan
their journey and get the bookings of the rooms done in
advance from the Enquiry and Reservation section. This can
be done by sending a Demand Draft of the requisite amount
in the name of Chief Executive Officer Shri Mata Vaishno
Devi Shrine Board, Katra payable at Katra.
The facility of on line booking is also available through
our online services module. In case of availability spot
booking is also possible at the reception counters of the
respective Bhawans. However, it has been generally experienced
that most of the rooms/beds are booked in advance and the
probability of obtaining a spot booking is usually not very
high.
More details on Rented Accommodation
Free accommodation
In addition to the facility of rented rooms, there are a
number of large halls which are available for the yatries.
This accommodation is free of cost and is made available
on a first-come-first-served basis. No booking or permission
is required for using these premises since they are kept
open round the clock and yatries can just go and occupy
them subject to availability.
Food and Refreshment
The Shrine Board runs three Bhojanalyas at Main Bhawan complex
and one at Manokamna Bhawan complex. These Bhojanalyas provide
wholesome vegetarian food to the pilgrims on a no profit
basis. Because of the Board’s policy of running all
its units on a no profit basis, all the items are available
here are not only cheap and affordable but also of excellent
quality. The Bhojanalyas at Bhawan run round the clock and
serve a varied but traditional menu. In addition to full
meals, packed snacks, beverages, mineral water and milk
etc. are also available here. For the convenience of the
pilgrims, hot and cold beverage dispensers have been installed
at various strategic locations .These units are operated
through the respective companies and sell quality products
at printed rates. More...
Medical facilities
Medical facilities are available for the yatries at Bhawan.
A medical unit run by the Shrine Board is located at the
Bhawan complex. All these medical units are equipped with
necessary medicines and emergency provisions including oxygen
cylinders and are manned by trained staff and medical officers.
An Intensive care Unit (ICU) is also functional at the Bhawan
complex. Emergency equipment has also been made available.
However sustained or advanced treatment can only be made
available at Jammu.
Other Facilities
In addition, various other facilities including free toilet
facilities, drinking water, enquiry and announcement booths
are available all through the Bhawan Complex. STD/PCOs,
Bank branches, a Police Station and a post office is also
functional. There is also a small market complex where toiletries,
medicines, eatables and other utility items are available.
Fair price Bhaint shops selling Prashad and Souvenir shops
selling photographs and cassettes are also located inside
this market complex. It is reiterated that all establishments
of the Board are run on a no profit basis and yatries can
be sure of the quality and prices of goods offered in these
establishments.
Blanket Stores
The Holy cave is situated at a height of 5200 ft above sea
level. Even during summers, the nights are 
cool
(for indicative maximum and minimum temperatures, please
see Appendix –IV). Yatries would normally require
the use of blankets at night. The Shrine Board has arranged
for free blanket stores at various locations. For a nominal
and refundable security deposit, yatries are issued blankets
for the night. Blanket stores are located at various convenient
locations and as already mentioned, the service is entirely
free of charge. The security obtained from the yatri is
refunded, once the blanket is returned. Pilgrims are advised
to obtained proper receipts for every financial transaction.
Cloak Rooms
Free cloak room facilities are available at Bhawan. There
are at least two cloak rooms which are functional round
the clock. There is a cloak room located just opposite to
the main queue complex (gate No.1). This cloak room can
be used for depositing shoes, belts, combs and all other
items that are not allowed in the Holy cave. In addition,
another cloak room is functional in Sridhar Bhawan. Yatries
can deposit their entire luggage here before proceeding
for Darshans. However, yatries are advised not to keep their
cash, jewellry, valuables or electronic items amongst the
deposited luggage. All cloak room facilities are absolutely
free of cost.
Officials present at Bhawan
The Shrine Board has posted various levels of officers including
senior officers at all important locations including Bhawan.
A list of the important functionaries, location wise, along
with their addresses and telephone numbers is available
in the appendix. Yatries are welcome to contact any of them
for advice or assistance. While most of the issues can be
resolved at the assistance or announcement booths, officers
of the Board are readily available for help or aid. In particular,
for the Bhawan area, assistance is available in the office
of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Sr. Manager or Assistant
Manager situated at Room no. 4 or Room No.8, Kalika Bhawan.
Bhaint Shop
As already mentioned, offerings to the Holy Goddess are
restricted to a very few articles. (Please refer to the
section on Bhaints and offerings also) This has been done
in view of security constraints and limitation of the Darshan
time inside the Sanctum Sanctorum. However, traditional
offerings called Bhaints continue to be allowed. A Bhaint
comprises of the traditional offerings which are offered
to the Holy Goddess and include Prashad fullian, makhana,
Chunni, mouli, coconut, Pooja samagri including Itra, Bangles
and Sindoor.
However, one need not purchase and carry the Bhaint Prashad
to be offered to the Holy Goddess from Katra itself. For
convenience of the pilgrims, the Shrine Board operates a
Bhaint shop at Bhawan where beautifully packed Bhaints in
eco-friendly jute bags are available at reasonable rates.
The Bhaints are available in the denominations of Rs. 11,
Rs. 21 and Rs. 31. Pilgrims can also buy a water bottle
from the Bhaint shop to fill the Holy water that gushes
out of the Holy Cave after having Darshans.
The Shrine Board is currently trying to explore the possibility
of providing yatries with pure silver chatters of various
denominations of guaranteed purity. It is expected that
these shall shortly become available at the Bhaint shop
to facilitate such yatries as would like to offer chatters
to Mother Goddess. Bhaints of higher denominations are also
likely to be introduced shortly. More...
Souvenir Shop
For yatries who wish to carry with them mementos of the
great pilgrimage, the Shrine Board operates Souvenir Shops
at Bhawan, Sanjichhat, Adkuwari, Katra bus stand and at
Vaishnavi Dham (Jammu). Chunris, Cholas, Saris, shawls which
have been offered to the Holy Goddess are available for
sale at these Souvenir Shops at nominal prices. Pilgrims
can purchase them and preserve them as souvenirs or can
place them at the place of worship inside their houses.
Besides, other exclusive items available at the Souvenir
Shops include, audio cassettes, CDs, various publications
of Shrine Board, laminated photos of the Holy Pindies, Jute
Bags, Bangle Chura etc. Yatries may take notice that all
these items are exclusively available at the Souvenir Shops
of Shrine Board and are not available at any of the private
shops.
The Shrine Board has developed Gold and Silver coins of
guaranteed purity. These coins carry an impression of the
Holy Pindies and are made of Gold or Silver offered at the
feet of the Goddess. These coins are available on request
from the local branch of J&K Bank. The rates of the
coins depend on the denomination chosen and the prevailing
gold/silver rates. More...
