KATRA: The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) on Monday reopened the historic natural cave at the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji to devotees on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
The reopening was marked by special rituals, prayers and Vedic chanting.
The event holds added significance as Makar Sankranti symbolizes new beginnings and spiritual elevation, and devotees were able to perform darshan through the original cave.
The natural cave generally remains closed for most of the year due to heavy pilgrim inflow and is opened during January and February when footfall is relatively low. This gives pilgrims a rare opportunity to experience darshan in its traditional form. During the rest of the year, pilgrims use the newly created caves to reach the sanctum sanctorum.
Under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the Shrine Board reiterated its commitment to preserving the shrine’s spiritual heritage while ensuring safety and orderly movement of pilgrims. Officials said efforts will be made to encourage more devotees to use the old cave while strictly adhering to the permissible crowd capacity.
The Chief Executive Officer of SMVDSB said that elaborate arrangements have been put in place to regulate crowd flow and prevent congestion. Special assistance has also been arranged for elderly and differently-abled pilgrims.
The shrine continues to witness a surge in pilgrim arrivals. In the first 13 days of 2026, about 3,05,217 pilgrims paid obeisance at the shrine, compared to 2,68,761 during the same period last year. On average, 20,000 to 25,000 pilgrims are visiting daily.
Senior officers, including the Additional Chief Executive Officer of SMVDSB, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and the Tehsildar Bhawan, along with Pujaris and a large gathering of devotees, were present during the reopening ceremony.
