The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.
वैष्णो देवी
Trikuta Hills, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir · 33.0299°, 74.9482°
India's second-most-visited shrine after Tirumala — nearly a crore pilgrims a year climb the 12–13 km path from Katra chanting 'Jai Mata Di' to the cave where the goddess is present as three natural rock pindis. Managed since 1986 by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, with battery cars, ropeway to Bhairon temple, and vast yatri infrastructure.
Vaishnavi, born to redeem the world, fled the tantric Bhairon Nath, pausing at Banganga, Charan Paduka and Adhkuwari's womb-cave before taking Chandi form at the Bhawan and beheading him — his head landing where the Bhairon shrine stands; dying, he begged pardon, and her boon decreed the yatra complete only after his darshan.
Katra base town (rail from Jammu); yatra parchi/RFID registration; helicopter to Sanjichhat.
☏ 1800-180-7212 (toll-free helpline) (from the official site, verified 2026-08-26)
coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Dogra