Vaishno Devi Maata trip…
Part 1
Things need to keep in mind before travelling to Jammu
“At Vaishno Devi maata, there will not be any signal in your mobile. Purchase a local sim card, otherwise we won't have any contact” my fiance said. I recently got engaged at that time, and when your love is new, you pamper it, takes care of each other a lot and that was happening with me. I said in a very romantic way with full of pamperedness, “Of course baby, I'll. ” Pre-paid sim of Jammu or post-paid sim of India get networks only in Jammu & Kashmir. On thursday midnoon, dated 12 Nov 2018, I, with my colleagues, had to catch the train from Kapurthala Rail Coach Factory Hault to Jammu. We didn't get reservations in Katra train, otherwise our journey could be somewhat easier. I took some fruits for the journey and caught the train.
Unusual Myth
There was some unusual fear in my mind. I didn't know, why negative feelings were coming to my mind, but they were coming continuously. Perhaps, I was going for the first time to devi maata darshan and there was something negative in my subconscious mind. Somebody told me when I was small that the way to devi darshan was too much difficult, one could lose one's life in the mountains. I can say now, that was myth; you will be safe in the whole journey there will not be any kind of risk to your life.
Though, I am a blogger and like to write the blogs while traveling, so I was writing the same in the journey, then my fiance, Deeksha, sent a hi and we started our chat. After some time, mobile lost its signal and I thought that it would come back soon. We all six friends were thinking that signals would lost in vaishno Devi Maata temple, that was true, but partially. Actually signals are lost as you come in the vicinity of Jammu. Without signals we were feeling like birds without feather. I was expecting the signals to come, but it didn't come back again.
There was beautiful scenic view on the way. Aditya was so fond of photography, he captured so many photos in the journey. The temperature was falling down as we were moving close to Jammu, slowly cold dry air started blowing, but still he was enjoying the cold. Once for a while Jasdeep took out his hand from blanket and put on the window grill, he couldn't put his hand even for a moment. I like summers, I can't tolerate the winters so this was going to be the toughest trip to me, but still I was excited. In night at 8:30 pm, we reached Jammu railway station, now we had to go to katra (the nearest station to Vaishno Devi Maata temple). We took some fast food like sandwich, bread and sat in a private bus. In the night, after 7pm government buses don't run on road, otherwise we could have prefered government buses. We all were scared too, because we were here at jammu for the very first time and everybody knows the relation between India and Pakistan over the issues of Jammu Kashmir. It was quite dark at that time, one hour had been passed by, but bus driver was not willing to drive the bus. He said, “the bus will be driven when all seats will be occupied”, when asked. We got strange answer in a ruthless way. We wait for a while, then Vivek said, “Aditya, search for the substitutes”. In the meantime, a Rajasthani family got acquaintance with us. They were three members, an old couple with 17 yrs old boy. Aditya and Jasdeep hired a 7 seater car in 1400 INR. We sat in the car with that family, then we started moving to our destination with resounding voices of jaikara Shera Wali ki, Jai Maata Di… The car was packed and we were sitting very close to each other so the temperature was in comfortable range inside the car, unlike outside.
After some time, aunt asked us to sing devotional songs and we nodded in yes. She started sing the songs, in the meantime while changing stanza, her son used to resounding the jaikara like jor se bolo… dheere bolo… me ni sunya… wo ni sunya… Now, we were feeling like a true pilgrims of Devi Maata.
Amit bought a new mobile last month, so he was capturing each and every view around us, then he insisted us to stop and to have a look of these mountains. The landscape was phenomenal, there were mountains and ditches all around and we were at middle. I was not even blinking my eyelids, I wanted to capture the whole scenary. There was dark all around and the lights of temple were twinkling like the stars in the sky. We had many snaps there, then we moved on. Around 10:30 pm, we reached katra: holy, divinic place of Hindus. There were arkestra at many places, narrations of Jai Maata Di all around. It seemed that fearness had gone away till that time.
Things to keep in mind while booking hotel at Katra
As we were dropped from that car a broker came to us asked for hotel. We had been out of network from last 8 hours, so I asked for the wi- fi facility to the broker: Vivek asked for rent, Aditya asked for rest amenities, Amit was expert in bargaining, so we gave the money cutting department to him, he bargained with his big black eyes and we got the hotel room in 1400 INR for 5 persons, that was reasonable. He was giving the facility of receiving us to hotel, then dropping to the Devi mata nearest entry gate in morning at 5 am, then dropping to hotel while returning and then again to Katra Railway station; that was like pese wasool, all these facilities including room rent in less than 300 INR per person. So we accepted his proposal.
Free Advice
( I went to mussoorie also after vaishno devi maata darshan, we also hired a room in approx 200 INR per person for triple sharing. I want to say that if you are traveling with friends then at every tourist place you can get room at reasonable prices, you just need to search. Don't go for online booking because that would cost you more. )
When we reached hotel, first we on wi-fi, and started calling at hour homes, Jasdeep's sister was waiting for his call, my mother was also. Some updated their status, some shared photos, rest was calling to their beloved ones. Then we went to bed and had some funny teasing jokes.
Unaccountability of cab driver
In the morning we got ready at 5 am, but the driver was not there. Vivek lost his vivek ( patience) and was shouting at receptionist. The receptionist was consoling us continuously, but we were getting late, we had to come back on time in the evening because of the reservations we had in train. Actually the duty timing of driver was from 6 am, the broker and receptionist misguided us, driver told us later. Though he came at 5:45 am, we took an entry pass, called a parchi locally and from 6:20 am we started our journey to Vaishno Devi maata temple. We touched the first stair at main entry checking point and went on…
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