Katra

Katra, in Reasi district of Jammu region, is today known almost entirely as the base town for the Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, but its roots are much older and simpler. For centuries this area was a small cluster of hill villages on the lower slopes of the Trikuta mountains, inhabited mainly by farming and pastoral communities. The sacred cave of Vaishno Devi high above was revered in local tradition, and a thin foot-track through forests and ridges connected the villages to the shrine. Pilgrims did visit, but in far smaller numbers, usually guided by locals and staying in simple dharamshalas or village homes.

Under the Dogra rulers of Jammu & Kashmir in the 19th century, the shrine received more formal patronage and basic facilities, but Katra itself remained a modest wayside settlement where yatris gathered supplies and ponies. The big transformation began in the late 20th century, when the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board was established, roads improved and the pilgrimage was organised on a large scale. Guest houses, hotels, shops and langars mushroomed along the main street. With the arrival of the railway line to Katra and helicopter/ropeway services, the town became a nonstop pilgrimage hub. Today, Katra’s identity, economy and growth are almost entirely shaped by the millions of devotees who start and end their Vaishno Devi journey here every year.