More pilgrim rush to Vaishno Devi this year

Jammu -- Better facilities and more security are drawing more pilgrims to the Hindu hill shrine of Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir this year -- about 5.5 million people have already visited it so far.

The shrine, 55 km north of Jammu in the Himalayan foothills, is set to record more than last year's tourist arrivals of 6.25 million, say shrine authorities.

Around 20,000 devotees are arriving every day. "If this trend - 20,000 arrivals a day - continues, the total arrival this year will be close to seven million," Puneet Kumar, a senior temple functionary, told IANS.

The rush has not abated despite the unusual monsoon floods and heavy rains in large parts of the country and militant activity in Kashmir, said Kumar, additional chief executive officer of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

According to Kumar, there were more pilgrims this year because of the increased facilities.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) S.K. Sinha, who is also chairman of the shrine board, has taken personal interest in ensuring better facilities for pilgrims.

"His (governor's) interest has multiplied the facilities. That's why pilgrims are coming in larger numbers than ever before," Kumar said.

The security forces have given more stress on the safety of the shrine, which has often figured in the list of probable targets of terrorist groups. This has given the pilgrims a sense of security.

The track to the shrine is smooth and authorities monitor the prices of food and other items needed by devotees en route.

The Vaishno Devi shrine attracts the highest number of pilgrims in northern India. The rush is second only to what is witnessed at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.