Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

Located at a height of 22,028 ft, is a holy abode of Lord Shiva (who is considered as destructor of the universe) and his wife Goddess Parvati. Known by the name of Kailash Parvat or Mount Kailash, this abode located in Tibet, and is one of the most sacred pilgrim center for the Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and pre-Buddhist animistic religion Bonpo devotees.

Followers of Jainism call Mt Kailash by the name of 'Astapada', a place where their first Tirthankara Rishaba attained enlightenment. Buddhist followers call it the 'Precious Jewel Peak' where they can achieve final illumination. Hindus also believe that a yatra of the Kailash Mansarovar helps in reliving from the ultimate cycle of the rebirth.

The Beginning of Yatra:
With each passing year more and more devotees are coming on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to seek the holy blessings of the God. This yatra begins in the month of August with the joint efforts of Indian and Chinese Government. The Yatra begins with the pilgrims arriving at the Kathmandu airport in Nepal. There they can visit the popular Pashupatinath temple that is considered as a holy residence of Shiva. Next day the yatries arrive at Nyalam, a small town in Tibet where they can rest for the difficult yatra next day. Next morning the pilgrims begin their yatra from Paryang to the Mansarovar Lake. After arriving at the lake the devotees conduct puja and take holy dip in the water to get rid of all their sins. They also take parikrama of Mansarovar. After this the final parikrama of Mt Kailash begins. On the entire route the pilgrims keep enchanting 'Om Namah Shivay' to maintain their inner power. This is the final stage of this yatra.

So take some time out of your busy schedule and gain spiritual satisfaction while you come on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Vaishno Devi Yatra

Located at the top of the Trikuta Hills in Jammu and Kashmir, is the holy shrine of Goddess Shakti, known as the 'Vaishno Devi'. Every year millions of Hindu devotees come to this sacred place to seek the divine blessings of the Goddess Shakti.

Location:
The Vaishno Devi temple is situated about 12 km from Katra in the Udhampur district (of J&K). This pilgrim center is basically a 100 feet long cave that has three rock cut statues of Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Kali and Goddess Saraswati.

Legends:
There are many interesting myths that are associated with the origin of the Vaishno Devi temple. It is believed that Mata Vaishno Devi is an incarnation of Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati who came down on earth to kill the demon King Mahishasura. She was named Vaishnavi by her human parents. Once when she was meditating in the jungle a man called Bhairon Nath saw her. He insisted on marrying her but she refused. Finally to escape him she ran away into the jungles and hided into a cave. After much time she confronted Bhairon Nath and beheaded him. After realizing his mistakes he begged for forgiveness. Goddess Vaishnavi forgave him and blessed him that without visiting his temple her pilgrimage can not be completed. Since then people come to this cave for worshiping the devi in her statue form.

The Journey to the Temple:
After arriving at the Jammu railway station, you have to travel 50 km to reach Katra from where the main journey to the Vaishno Devi starts. Once you come to Katra you can relax at the several dharmshalas situated here. Next morning the 13 km journey to the main Bhawan begins with the holy enchants of 'Jai Mata di'. The first stop of this route is the Banganga where the pilgrims take holy bath and rest for some time. Next destination is the Charanpadhuka the footprints of the goddess. Finally after resting at the Ardhkumari Temple, the pilgrims arrive at the Bhawan of Mata Vaishno Devi where they offer prayers at the three pindies inside the divine cave.

Along with the holy darshans of Mata Vaishno Devi one can also enjoy the mesmerizing scenic beauty of the snow covered Himalayas and the lush green valleys.

So to gain some spiritual knowledge and to purify your mind and soul visit the sacred Vaishno Devi temple.