JAI MATA DI - In the morning at 9:30AM I left the hotel and reached the base of the Trikut mountains. I had to walk up 13 kms to reach the Bhawan where the Vaishno Devi shrine is. It was a very difficult journey walking amidst of lot of horse traffic.
I took the steps whereever it was there and bravely reached the Bhawan by 3:00PM. I went and reported at reception 4 and checked-in to the room at New Kalika Bhavan.
I took 20 minutes rest as I was having severe cramps in my right leg.
I wore my new Silk Saree and went to the reception to attend the SSVP aarthi.
First we went for the Aarthi and then after sometime went to the Vaishodevi shrine to attend an elaborate special puja performed for nearly an hour and then returned to the Aarthi.
I felt very lucky to have been standing praying in front of the Vaishno Devi who is in the form of three stones representing Goddess Kali, Goddess Laksmi and Goddess Saraswathi. After the Aarthi, I went to the room. The next morning I got up a bit late, however I made it to the morning Aarthi that had already begun. After the Aarthi I had my breakfast and left for Bhaironath by horse.
I was completely exhausted and had no other go, but to reach Bhaironath by horseride.
The Aarthi had been an elaborate one where many bhajans including AYIGIRI NANDINI NANDITHA MEDINI were sung in the North Indian style.
After visiting Bhaironath, I returned to Katra by horse and there the hotel driver saw me coming back and asked me to get into the taxi.
I went to the hotel and my travel agents Saurav Manhas and Vikas Manhas of Enjoy Unlimited, Jammu were waiting for me.
We were extremely happy to meet each other and everyone in the hotel greeted me with a smile as they knew I had walked up the mountains and returned by horse ride. Quite a lot for a puny woman like me.