Katra during morning time
Katra, also known as Katra Vaishno Devi, is a small town near Reasi Town that is hearted in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. 42 kilometers (26 miles) from Jammu and Kashmir, this place is located in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains, where the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi is located. Having an elevation of 875 meters on average (2,474 feet), Katra can be found at 32.98°N 74.95°E. The village is bisected by the Banganga River. Possible oil reserves in that area have also been speculated.
Katra serves as a starting point for visiting Vaishno Devi. Katra, despite being an underrated place, has a thriving tourism industry with a wide range of hotels, guest houses, restaurants, dhabas, and fast-food joints to suit all budgets. Some registered trusts provide free housing for the poor in the form of “Sarais.” A lot has changed in Katra over the years, but the main thing that never changes and always remains as a center of every tourist attraction remains the “bazaar” (market) for purchasing souvenirs, dry fruits, woolen garments, hosiery, leather jackets, and so on. Before beginning the trek to Vaishno Devi, pilgrims must register at Katra. The benefit of the registration is that by registering pilgrims receive accident insurance up to 100,000 INR while on the 14-kilometer trek.
Top 5 places that you need to visit if you are in Katra
Vaishno Devi Temple
Now c’mon, what did you expect? Of course, this place had to be mentioned at the top of our compilation. The Vaishno Devi temple is the first thing that comes to our mind when we think of Katra. The temple is located in the mountains of Trikuta. The shrine contains a cave where Mata manifested herself in three rock forms known as Pindies. Located 1 km from the bus stop is the Darshani Darwaza, is the yatra's entry gate. You can reach this place by trekking 13 km uphill from Katra. For the elderly and infirm, horse and palanquin services are available.
Ban Ganga
Originating from the Shivalik Range of the Himalayas, Ban Ganga, also known as Bal (hair) Ganga, is named so because Maa is said to have washed her hair in it. Ban Ganga is considered one of the best places to visit in Katra. The legend behind the name Ban Ganga is that Mata Vaishnavi was on her way to her abode in the cave when the monkey accompanying her became thirsty. With no water nearby, Vaishnavi Maa shot an arrow into the earth, causing the Ganga to spring up
Baba Dhansar's natural beauty
Baba Dhansar is another one of the must-visit holy places in Katra. Located less than 13 kilometers away from Katra, there are plenty of awesome homestays and guest houses in this place. It requires climbing stairs, around 100 of them. Apart from the beautiful temple that is hearted here which is dedicated to Lord Shiva with an interesting legend associated with it, what attracts tourists to this place are a series of marvelous waterfalls and lush greenery all around.
Himkoti
Tired of pilgrimage to holy shrines? Want to do something else? Well, we have another option for you. Admire Himkoti's natural beauty. Enjoy the magnificent view of the hill stations near Katra, the dense and magnetic greenery, and the relaxing environment. It's also a great place to unwind and enjoy a picnic with the family. Himkoti, home to breathtaking natural wonders, is easily one of the best Katra tourist destinations.
Garden of Bagh-e-bahu
About 45 kilometers away from Katra, Bagh-e-Bahu is a unique place to visit. After visiting various holy shrines Bagh-e-bahu garden is an excellent place to unwind. If you enjoy history and your body isn't too tired from the pilgrimage, pay a visit to the famous Bahu Fort, which is located near the garden. There is an enthralling story connected with the fort and the formation of Jammu. Within the fort, there is also a temple dedicated to Maa Kali.
Top 5 things to do in Katra
So you finally made up your mind and now you’re in Katra but you are feeling indecisive on what is the first thing that you should do at this place? Well, we are here for a reason. We have compiled several fun things that you can do in this beautiful place.
Trek at night
Many adventurers choose to start their trekking expedition at night to reach Vaishno Devi Temple. You may be perplexed in the beginning, but don't worry. Several tourists are choosing to do the aforementioned. The primary reason for the night-trekking concept is that many tourists who are not religiously inclined enjoy trekking to Vaishno Devi temple for the breathtaking views, but at night, the entire Katra town sparkles like stars in the sky. And you definitely can't miss the chance to click pictures here; it's breathtaking. Tourists also enjoy delectable home-cooked meals at the stops.
Shop for woolen
With the growing number of tourists visiting Katra, several shopping areas have sprouted up to accommodate them. Woolen items such as pashmina shawls, papier-mache items, the infamous Kashmiri sweaters, and many other products are available at reasonable prices in some shopping malls. Aside from the woolens, you will also find a number of walnut-wood souvenirs.
Try white-water rafting
Are you looking for excitement in your life? Then whitewater rafting is one of those experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life. While participating in this activity, you will feel the adrenaline rush through your veins as you are surrounded by the majestic Chenab river in Katra. One of the most well-known rafting routes stretches around the world, and this activity is one-of-a-kind.
A picnic at Jhajjar Kotli
Well-known among Katra residents, Jhajjar Kotli’s beauty will astound you once you arrive. This picnic spot is located along NH 1A and is 15 kilometers from Katra. Located on the bank of the Jhajjar River, not only is this place’s views breathtaking, but you will be surprised to learn how a place of such beauty can remain hidden from the rest of India. If you want to spend some quality time with your loved ones, bring a blanket and your food. Many people swim in the creek, and if you intend to do so, you should be prepared. If you want to run away from the chaos of your life, you will never regret visiting this place
Stay a day in the Nau Devi Cave Temple
10 kilometers away from Katra, Nau Devi temple is located on the way to Shiv Khori. This temple was built inside a cave 200 years ago. Inside the temple, all of the idols of various Hindu deities were naturally carved. It is unusual and surprising to come across a temple that was not built by humans. A river surrounds the cave, where many people bathe and swim. Even if you are not religious, a visit to this temple will never disappoint you.
How to reach Katra
Anjali Rao
29/03/22
Other Articles
Candida albicans: Infections, Symptoms, Treatment – Erakina
Household Spice, Cinnamon- Erakina
good information
You have done a great job. I will definitely dig it and personally recommend it to my friends. I am confident they will benefit from this site. internetgame.me
Keep working ,impressive job!
I’ve recently started a blog, the information you offer on this web site has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.
I will right away take hold of your rss feed as I can not in finding your email subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please allow me realize so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is fantastic, let alone the content!
Thanks , I’ve just been looking for information approximately this topic for ages and yours is the best I have discovered so far. But, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you sure concerning the supply?
Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
As I web-site possessor I believe the content material here is rattling excellent , appreciate it for your efforts. You should keep it up forever! Best of luck.
This really answered my problem, thank you!
I like this site very much, Its a very nice office to read and obtain info . “One man’s religion is another man’s belly laugh.” by Robert Anson Heinlein.
Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your web site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you’ve on this site. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found just the info I already searched everywhere and simply couldn’t come across. What a great site.
It?¦s actually a nice and useful piece of info. I am happy that you just shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
But wanna tell that this is very beneficial, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your web-site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you¦ve on this web site. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found just the information I already searched everywhere and simply could not come across. What a perfect site.
It’s actually a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
Keep up the wonderful work, I read few content on this web site and I conceive that your website is really interesting and contains sets of good information.
Hello would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with? I’m looking to start my own blog soon but I’m having a tough time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S My apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!
What Is Neotonics? Neotonics is a skin and gut supplement made of 500 million units of probiotics and 9 potent natural ingredients to support optimal gut function and provide healthy skin.
I together with my buddies ended up looking through the great hints from your site then at once developed a terrible suspicion I never thanked the site owner for them. Most of the women happened to be for this reason passionate to learn them and have now certainly been loving these things. Appreciation for being well considerate and for finding varieties of impressive tips most people are really wanting to know about. My personal honest apologies for not expressing appreciation to you earlier.
Definitely believe that that you said. Your favourite justification appeared to be at the web the easiest thing to consider of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while other folks consider worries that they plainly don’t recognize about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the top as smartly as outlined out the entire thing without having side effect , folks could take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thanks
Good day! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!
I truly appreciate your piece of work, Great post.
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. That is an extremely well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your helpful information. Thanks for the post. I will certainly comeback.
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I believed this post used to be great. I do not recognise who you are but certainly you’re going to a well-known blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!
I have recently started a website, the information you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.
I am incessantly thought about this, regards for posting.
Whats up very cool website!! Man .. Beautiful .. Superb .. I’ll bookmark your web site and take the feeds also…I’m satisfied to search out a lot of useful info right here in the put up, we’d like work out more techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
I got what you intend, thankyou for putting up.Woh I am glad to find this website through google.