Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 2: As record number of more than 65 lakh pilgrims have offered prayers at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine till the month of August this year and as many as 6900 foreign devotees also visited in the said period to the sanctum of sanctorum located in the Trikuta Hills of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir.
Official sources said that in the said period in 2022, 60 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine but this year till August month, 65,31,142 devotees paid obeisance at the cave shrine.
"This year till August, more than 6900 foreign travelers reached Vaishno Devi and the swelling number of pilgrims visiting the holy cave may break last year's record," the sources said.
"In 2022, no foreign pilgrims visited the cave shrine but this year from January to May the arrival was less and increased manifold after June," they added.
The sources also said that in June, 500 foreign pilgrims visited the cave shrine, over 22 in July and more than 4200 in the month of August.
As per official figures, in 2018, more than 32,000 foreign tourists had reached Vaishno Devi, in 2019, over 23,000 offered prayers at the cave shrine.
The official date of previous six years stated that in 2017, 81.78 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine, in 2018, 85.87 lakh, in 2019, 79.40 lakh, in 2020, 17.20 lakh, in 2021, 55.88 lakh, in 2022, 91.25 lakh and in 2023 till August, 65.31 lakh. |
