JAMMU, Feb 4: A record number of pilgrims visited the highly revered cave shrines of Mata Vaishno Devi in Trikuta Hills of Katra and Shiv Khori (Lord Shiva) ahead of Reasi in the first month of this year.
Over 4,32,000 pilgrims paid their obeisance at the holy cave of Mata Vaishno Devi in January, ie the first month of this year, against 3,59,000 in January 2015, registering an increase of over 73,000 pilgrims, official sources said. In January 2014, 3,71,000 pilgrims had paid their obeisance at the holy Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Sources said due to the increase in flow of pilgrims to the shrine, the business activity at Katra had also picked up.
A total of 1,09,000 pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine of Shiv Khori in January this year, breaking the record of last three years. The board officials would be putting hoardings in and around Katra to attract pilgrims to Shiv Khori, sources informed. |
