In Jammu and Kashmir, despite rain and bitter chill, thousands of devotees trekked along the serpentine path to the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi atop the Trikuta Hills on Reasi district on the first day of Navratri yesterday to pay obeisance to the deity. Reasi district witnessed a huge rush of pilgrims, with around 15 thousand devotees seeking the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi on the first day of Chaitra Navratri. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also paid obeisance at the revered Shrine, joining thousands of devotees who thronged the cave shrine. He offered prayers for peace, prosperity and well-being as the 9-day festival commenced with intense spiritual fervour across the region yesterday.

The yatra progressed smoothly under elaborate arrangements made by the administration and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Multi-layered security deployment involving the police, paramilitary forces and the Army has been put in place, supported by round-the-clock surveillance through CCTV and integrated monitoring systems. Authorities have also strengthened crowd management measures, including RFID tracking and regulated movement along the track from Katra to the Bhawan, to ensure the safety and convenience of pilgrims. Registration facilities have been expanded, while essential services such as sanitation, water supply, food distribution and medical aid have been enhanced to cater to the surge in footfall.

The shrine and its surroundings have been decorated with vibrant lights and floral arrangements. Officials expect a sustained influx of 20 thousand to 30 thousand pilgrims daily during the festival period, underscoring the shrine’s significance as one of the country’s main spiritual destinations. Similar scenes of devotion were witnessed at other temples across the region, including the Bahu Fort, where long queues of devotees were seen at the Bawe Wali Mata temple.