Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 19 (ANI): The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra remains suspended due to prevailing adverse weather conditions in Katra and the Trikuta Hills.
The pilgrimage was temporarily halted as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of devotees amid inclement weather.
Pilgrims have been advised to remain updated through official channels regarding the resumption of the Yatra. The pilgrimage is expected to resume once weather conditions improve and the route is considered safe for movement.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation. The region is also forecast to witness widespread rainfall, thunderstorms and the possibility of heavy showers over the coming days.
Several devotees were seen worshipping from afar as there is uncertainity about the weather and Yatra resuming.
Many expressed dissapointment over not being able to complete their journey as they had visited for ‘darshan’.
Rekha, one of the devotees who had travelled from Jamnagar district, Gujarat, said, “I came with a lot of hope; now my heart aches that I can’t go. It rained, you see, it rained all night, that’s why they aren’t letting us go. They are saying it might take five days. They say after five days, if the weather is fine, they will allow us; otherwise, they say the duration might increase further.”
Another devotee from Jamnagar said that it is difficult to stay for more days for the Yatra to open. “We came for Mata Rani’s darshan, but due to the rain here, we aren’t able to go. The people here are refusing [us entry], saying “come after three-four days, it’s closed here right now.” It’s very difficult for us too–how can we stay for four days? It’s a lot of trouble. We are going back now. The hotel rent is also very high here. We can’t stay for four-five days.”
Echoing similar sentiment over the administration’s decision, a devotee from Odisha said, “We have been here for at least four to five days. We were supposed to have our darshan now. However, the district administration and the weather department have issued an alert saying the weather will remain like this for two or three days and that no devotees should be allowed to go up. We’ve come from very far away in Odisha with a lot of hope. But now we will have to leave disappointed.”
The weather has also impacted the ongoing Amarnath Yatra as the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday officially suspended it on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes to ensure the safety of pilgrims after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of heavy rainfall across the Union Territory.
The decision was taken as a precautionary measure in view of the inclement weather forecast predicted to ensure the safety of thousands of devotees travelling through the region. The 57-day Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 and will conclude on August 28 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
IMD issued subdivision-wise warnings for extremely heavy rain, thunderstorm, lightning, and squall in Jammu and Kashmir for July 20-21, while there is a very heavy rain warning for July 22. (ANI)
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