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Pilgrimage Places
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AJMER |
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Location : State –Rajasthan
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Ajmer situated in the foothills of `Ajaya Meru' the unconquerable hill, this
green paradise was founded in 1100 AD by Aijpal Chauhan. The city was founded by
Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan in the 7th Century A.D. and continued to be a major center
of the Chauhan power till 1193 A.D. It is a holy place for both Hindus and
Muslims. The city is embellished with the monolith of a Sufi saint, Khwaja
Moinuddin Chishti, whose blessings are anxiously received by devotees, The
dargha known as the ‘Dargah Sharif’. |
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Prime Attractions
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The Dargah : It is India’s most significant shrine for Muslims and
thousands of devotees of all religions visit the holy place through the year.
Legend has it that the Mughal emperor, Akbar visited the saint in the 16th
century in pursuit of a boon for a child, the saint obliged the Emperor. He used
to make a pilgrimage to the Dargah from Agra once a year. The shrine is next
only to Mecca or Median for the Muslims of south Asia.
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Adhai-din-ka-jhonpra : An unprecedented structure, this is a masterpiece
of Indo-Islamic architecture located just beyond the Dargah. In 1193 A.D.
Mohhamed Ghauri conquered Ajmer and transfigured the building into a mosque by
constructing a seven arched wall in front of the pillared hall in just
two-and-half days (adhai-din).
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How To Get There
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By Air : Nearest Airport is Jaipur-145kms.
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By Railways: The city is well connected by rail to Agra, Delhi, Jaipur
and other major cities |
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By Roads: Ajmer is well connected by road with Agra (370 km), Bharatpur
(312 km),Delhi (444 km), Jaipur (145 km), Jaisalmer (458 km), Jodhpur (205 km),
Mount Abu (371 km) and Udaipur (269 km).
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Allahabad |
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Location : State- Uttar Pradesh (North India) |
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This is the place where the Hindus prefer to flow the dead remains for the
journey to the ethereal abode. The place is considered to be one of the most
pious one which takes the soul of the ancestors away from the eternal cycle of
birth and rebirth. |
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One of the oldest cities in the world is situated at the bank of river Ganga,
Yamuna & mythical Saraswati rives meet among each other. At the span of Every
Twelve year city host Maha Kumbh Mela ( a largest religious gathering) and Ardh
Kumbh Mela every six year.
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Prime Attractions
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Sangam : At the point at which the brown Ganges meets the Greenish
Yamuna, pandas (priests) perch on small platforms to perform puja and assist the
devout in their ritual ablutions in the shallow waters. Beaches and ghats are
littered with the shorn hair of pilgrims who come to offer pind for their
deceased parents.
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The sacred Sangam is the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in the Hindu
mythology – Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. At the Sangam, the waters
of the Ganges and the Yamuna can be distinctly seen merging into one. It is
during the Kumbh / Ardh Kumbh that the Sangam truly comes alive, attracting the
devout from all across the country.
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Anand Bhawan : The museum for today's generation but was the ancestral
house of Jawahar Lal Nehru (first Prime Minister of India). The building was
built by Moti Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi (Prime Minister of India) also spent
her childhood here.
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How To Get There
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By Air : There is Indian airlines flight from Delhi. Other nearest
airport is Varanasi (120Kms)
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By Railways : Allahabad is well connected by trains to most of the other
important Indian cities.
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By Roads: A good roadway network connects the different parts of the city
of Allahabad. Varanasi 120Kms, Lucknow 210Kms, Kanpur 200Kms. |
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AMRITSAR
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Location : State – Punjab ( North India ) |
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Amritsar - Having derived its name from the Amrit Sarovar that surrounds the
famous Golden Temple, the city of Amritsar is located in the northwestern side
of India in Punjab. Some of the prominent attractions of this one of the
loveliest tourist destinations in India are the several architecturally
brilliant Gurudwaras and temples. |
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Prime Attractions
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Golden Temple: Also called Sri Harmandir
Sahib, the Golden Temple was laid by Guru Ram Das in the 14th century. It is
acclaimed as one of the holiest sites of the Sikhs. Reflecting influences of
both Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture, the temple standing in the middle
of a tank.
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Jalianwala Bagh: Sited near the Golden Temple, it bears testimony to the
disaster called Jallianwala Bagh Massacre at the time of the rule of the British
Raj. A congregation, attended by several Punjabis on the occasion of Baisakhi
(New Year) celebrations on 13 April 1919 was set on fire by General Dyer.
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Wagah Border: Another prominent tourist attraction in Amritsar is not a
monument but a daily event. A little away from Amritsar at the India shares
international frontier with Pakistan. Every evening, the change of guard among
either national security forces, a handshaking distance apart, is a fantastic
spectacle.
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How To Get There
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By Air : The city has an airport, which has recently been upgraded to an
international one.
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By Railway : Well connected by excellent rail routes, reaching Amritsar
is very easy.
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By Road : A good roadway set-up links the different corners of the city
of Amritsar.
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Bodhgaya |
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Location : State – Bihar (North India)
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The tourist attractions in Bodhgaya are associated with the life of Gautama
Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.Bodhgaya is in Central Bihar is one of the most
important Buddhist pilgrimage centers in the world. |
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The small town of Bodhgaya came into prominence in the 6th century with Buddha's
enlightenment or Nirvana under a Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya. |
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Prime Attractions
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Mahabodhi Tree : The Mahabodi temple is in the
east to the Bodhi tree. The architectural effect of the temple is excellent. The
high pyramidal spire dominates the landscape. Inside the temple, in the main
sanctum, there is a
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colossal image of the Buddha in sitting
posture touching the earth by his right hand. In this posture the Buddha
accomplished the supreme enlightenment. The statue is of black stone but it has
been guilder by the devotees.
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Bodhi Tree : Bodhi tree is the place under which Lord Buddha meditated
before getting enlightenment. |
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Chankramana : Chankramana is the sacred spot of the Buddha's meditative
perambulations during the third week after pious enlightenment. It is believed
that wherever the Buddha put his feet lotus sprang up.
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How To Get There
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By Air : Although Bodhgaya has no airport of its own, there is an airport
in Gaya, which is 17 kms away from Bodhgaya. Most airlines from the important
cities of India touch Patna, which is 135 kms from Bodhgaya.
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By Rail : The nearest railway station is also Gaya.Trains from all major
cities of India stop at Gaya. |
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By Road : Bodhgaya is the main bus stop and is located near Sujata Bridge
on the Falgu River on the northeastern edge of the town. The nearest transport
hub is Gaya, a major point on historical Grand Trunk Road
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HARIDWAR |
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Location : State – Uttrakhand (North India) |
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Situated along the Ganges, the city of Haridwar in Uttarakhand exudes tremendous
mythological and historical value. Occupying over 12.302 sq. km, Haridwar, is
the doorway to the three other major pilgrimages of India - Rishikesh,
Badrinath, and Kedarnath. A major center of attention as it has been from the
times of Buddha and down through the British rule and further still in the
contemporary times, Haridwar offers some of the greatest tourist attractions
like huge temples, busy market streets, ancient palaces, and forts. |
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Prime Attractions
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Hari-ki-Pairi (or Har-ki-Pairi) -
Hari-ki-Pairi is taken as the city’s central point, where devotees come for a
holy dip in the River Ganges. According to the legend this is actually where a
drop of nectar fell as a result of the samudra manthan (churning of the oceans)
– Mythically it signifies the start of the world.
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Mansa Devi Temple : Mansa Devi Mandir, situated on top of a hill towards
the center of Haridwar is reached either by cable car or by a road that runs up
to the hill, starting from the Railway Road. The scenic landscape around the
temple is the main attraction here.
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Excursion
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Rishikesh, around 28 km off Haridwar, is at the base of the Himalayas and it is
where the Ganges comes down to the plains from the hills. |
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How To get There
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By Air : The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant in Dehradun.(52Kms)
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By Rail : Haridwar is well connected by trains to almost all the major
cities in India. |
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By Road : Haridwar is well connected to the major cities in India. The
National Highway no.45 crosses the city of Haridwar and links it with Delhi,
which assures a comfortable travel to Haridwar.
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PUSHKAR |
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Location : State –Rajasthan ( North India) |
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Pushkar is a small and tranquil holy town in Rajasthan, located just 12 km from
Ajmer and 135 km from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Pushkar is famous for
its 400 temples and other picturesque tourist attractions. The Pushkar Lake, in
the middle of the town, is considered sacred to Hindus, as it houses the only
Brahma Temple in India. |
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According to the legend, this beautiful lake was formed where Lord Brahma, the
lord of creation, dropped a lotus on the day of the full moon. Thousands of
devotees throng to the sacred Pushkar Lake to take a sacred dip on the
auspicious occasion of Karthik Purnima, which generally falls in the months of
October-November. According to beliefs, a dip in the holy lake is very
auspicious at this time.
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Prime Attraction : |
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Pushkar Lake: One of the most sacred sites for Hindus, Pushkar Lake is
the most famous tourist attraction in the holy town of Pushkar. It's a beautiful
semi-circular lake with 52 lovely ghats surrounding it. According to beliefs, a
dip in the Pushkar Lake on the auspicious occasion of Karthik Poornima brings
salvation to devotees.
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Brahma Temple: It's the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator
of the universe according to Hindu mythology, in all over India. The beautiful
marble temple is famous for its four-headed idol of lord Brahma. It's decorated
with silver coins and a silver turtle on its black and white chequered floor.
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Pushkar Fair : Pushkar Fair takes place in the month of November. It is a
fair of colors, cloths, camels and cattle’s. Besides marketing of horses,
camels, cows and bulls, there are exhilarating camel-cart races and cultural
events. The camels are adorned with jewelry and exuding colors. The race is
cherished by thousands of visitors coming from all over the world.
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How To Get There
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By Air: Jaipur (135 km) is the nearest airport from Pushkar.
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By Rail: Ajmer (12 km) is the nearest railhead from Pushkar, connecting
it to many cities and towns of Rajasthan and north India by rail.
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By Road: Pushkar has a good network of roads and the town is well
connected to major cities of India by road. Delhi (403 km), Jaipur (135 km),
Udaipur (289 km) and Jodhpur (214 km). |
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RISHIKESH |
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Location : State – Uttrakhand (North India) |
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A travel to Rishikesh would take you to the holy land where the sages and saints
of ancient India would choose to do penance. Since times immemorial Rishikesh
has known to be the land of the gods. Rishikesh offers you the peace of mind and
soul. The majestic Himalayas, the mighty Ganges flowing down peacefully,
green-carpeted valleys would bring in solace to your weary soul as you travel to
Rishikesh. |
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Prime Attractions |
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Laxman Jhula : This is one of the biggest
tourist attractions in Rishikesh. Now a suspended iron bridge, built in 1939
exists here. Another suspended bridge between Shivanand Ashram and Sawarg Ashram
is called Ram Jhula.
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Bharat Mandir: Adiguru Shankra Chrya, the Hindu saint built this temple
in 12th century. The oldest temple of Rishikesh, it is located on the bank of
river Ganges in the old town and enshrines the idol of Lord Vishnu, carved out
of a single 'Saligram'.
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Excursion
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Haridwar - The holy town of Haridwar is a short excursion away on the
bank of river Ganges. Literally meaning the Gateway to the Gods, the land is one
of the biggest attractions in Rishikesh. Every evening, the Ganga aarti at
Har-Ki-Pauri attracts hundreds of devotees.
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How To Get There
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By Air : The nearest airport at Jolly Grant in Dehradun (35Kms)
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By Rail : The nearest railhead from Rishikesh is Haridwar.(18Kms) |
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By Road : An extensive network of roads connects Rishikesh to the other
cities in Uttarakhand (Uttaranchal) and India.
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Tirupati |
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Location : State - Andhra Pradesh (South India)
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Tirupati is a far-familiar temple town situated in the Chittoor district of
Andhra Pradesh. Tirupati is also known as Tirumala that is far-famed for the Sri
Venkateshwara Temple, purely consecrated to Lord Vishnu. The almighty Lord
Vishnu is called as Balaji by the North Indians whereas as the South Indians
call as Govinda. The mandir is situated in the hill top of Tirumala, where the
town is situated in the foothills. |
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Pilgrims visiting the place can make their dharshan to visit the Lord Vishnu,
either by availing special Sevas or free dharma dharshan. The seva time will
start from 3 am morning and it finishes around 12 pm night. Generally, it takes
around 4 to 5 hours of queue waiting to get the dharshan of Lord Vishnu! Either
the Free dharshan or
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Paid dharshan, disciples must have to wait in a long queue. TTD method of
approach by using the computerized issuing of tokens is being dispatched to the
pilgrims. This method has greatly reduced the waiting time in a queue. Pilgrims
can enjoy visiting the place and buy the prasadhams being sold there. As
well-known, Tirupati is popularly known for Laddu – the most familiar known
prasadha.
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How To Get There
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By Air : Tirupati airport is located at Renigunta, which is about 15 km
away from the city. Regular flights are available from Chennai, Hyderabad and
Bangalore to Tirupati.
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By Train : Tirupati Railway Station is connected by trains from
Bangalore, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Madurai and Mumbai. A major railhead nearby
is Renigunta, which is 15 km away
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By Road : Tirupati is well connected by road to other major cities.
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Vaishno Devi Shrine |
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Location : State – Jammu & Kashmir ( North india) |
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Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is one of the oldest shrine of India, located at a
height of 5300 feet on the holy Trikuta Hills of the Shivalik Hill Range. The
Holy cave is 13 Kms from the Base Camp Katra. The Town Katra is 50 Kms away from
Jammu and 35 Kms from District HQ Udhampur and is linked by road. The Mata
Vaishno Devi Shrine is one of the most popular Shrines of India. |
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The Goddess Mata Vaishno Devi's abode is in 100 feet long cave with a narrow
opening. The holy cold and crystal clear water washes the lotus feet of the
Mata's "Pindian". There are three natural pindies representing Maha Sarswati,
Maha Lakshmi, Maha Kali, which represent creative, preservative, and destructive
aspects of the Super Power. It is an ancient shrine whose reference is found in
the Vedas and ancient scriptures.
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Yatra : The 13 Kms hilly track between Katra and Bhawan contains number
of ancient temples and view-points for rest and enjoy natural beauty. The first
stop is at Banganga, 1 Km away from Katra where one can have holy bath in the
Banganga and have a Langer/Parshad (free food) run by famous T-series
Industries.The second stop Charanpadhuka is about 2.5 Kms away from Banganga. It
is believed that Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji took rest while moving towards the
Trikuta Hills. The third stop Adkuwari is about 3 Kms from Charanpadhuka. Here
one can stay for night as half of the journey is over. At Adkuwari the devotees
can have Darshan of Adkuwari Temple and Gerbhjoon (an ancient Cave of about 20
feet). It is believed that Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji hide herself from Bairon
Nath in this cave for 9 months.
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After a steep height of about 4 Kms from Adkuwari the fourth and last stop is
Sanjichat. The Sanjichat is the highest place in the track. One can enjoy the
aerial view of Katra, Udhampur, Reasi and Jammu.
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From Sanjichat about 2.5 Kms downhill track led to Bhawan the holy Shrine of
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. About 0.5 Kms from Bhawan on the Bahawan-Sanjichat track
an about 2 Kms link track lead to the Bairon Nath temple. The track is further
linked with Sanjichat though dense forest containing different species of wild
life such as Langoor, Monkeys and other wild birds.
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How to Get There
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Air : Jammu is the nearest airport. |
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Rail : Jammu is the nearest railhead, which lies on the other side of the
Tawi River. Jammu is very well connected with all major destinations in India. |
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Road : Vaishno Devi Temple can be reached after making a steep 13-km trek
from the road head at Katra, the town at the foot of the Trikuta hills. Several
porters and ponies are available at Katra on hire.
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