Friday, August 10, 2007

Vaishno Devi : Mountain Shrine of the omnipotent Goddess Durga


Vaishno Devi : Mountain Shrine of the omnipotent Goddess Durga

Vaishno Devi, the holy cave shrine devoted to Indian goddess Durga, situated in the Trikuta Mountains in the state Jammu and Kashmir, is one of the largest pilgrimage centers in India which attracts millions of devotees every year. Though the cave is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feets in Himalayas, it is regarded as one of the most popular shines in India and is also popular on the tourist radar. All this is due to the unwavering faith of the devotees who throng the holy cave from all parts of India.

Vaishno Devi : Mountain Shrine of the omnipotent Goddess Durga

It is believed that whatever a devotee wishes, his/her’s wish is fulfilled after undertaking the pilgrimage to this shrine. As one of the ancient shrine, the cave also has reference in Vedas (holy Indian books). The cave is carved out of a hard rock and has three naturally made pindies (natural rock formations). These represent Goddesses Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Kali manifestations of Goddess Durga in form of the creator, preserver and destroyer, the three essentially pure forces of Nature.

Vaishno Devi : Mountain Shrine of the omnipotent Goddess Durga
Pilgrims throng this holy cave, situated amidst the lofty and serene Himalayas through out the year irrespective of the weather, the mountainous terrain prone to landslides.the distance of the cave which is around 14 kms. Once they reach to the cave, pilgrims then have darshans (holy glance at the goddess) of the three naturally formed rocks which work as idols of the goddess inside the cave. Among the pilgrims, there are many foreigners who throng this site mainly to have a sneak peek about India and Indian gods.

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