Vaishno Devi Temple, Jammu

Vaishno Devi Temple, one of the sacred Hindu shrines in India, is situated at an elevation of 1700 m on top of the Trikuta Hills, Katra. Jammu is located at a distance of around 46 km from the town of Katra. The temple consists of a cave shrine dedicated to the Hindu Mother Goddess, Vaishno Devi.

The cave measures approximately 30 m in length and 1.5 m in height. According to popular folklore, the cave was used by Mother Goddess to hide from a demon that she eventually killed.

The main attractions of the shrine are the idols depicting the 3 forms of Vaishno Devi, namely Mahakali, the Hindu goddess of time and death; Mahasaraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge; and Mahalakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and fortune.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has been assigned the responsibility of maintaining this temple. Approximately 8 million devotees from around the country visit the Vaishno Devi Temple on an annual basis.

This figure makes this shrine the second most visited temple in the country after the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple of Andhra Pradesh. Individuals interested in exploring Vaishno Devi Temple have to trek to the site.