Katra-Vaishno Devi Trekking Experience (April 2019)
Full disclosure: mine was not a religious pursuit/pilgrimage. I took the hike to ‘feel’ the experience; visiting temples had not been my motive. As you would soon see, I did make it to temples as well.
Before even going to Jammu, I got this Yatra Parchi online, and took a print; this saved a couple of minutes if not hours from my schedule. I also watched YouTube videos and read blogs like this. But I would soon discover that there were so many misinformation in that blog, which prompted me to write this post for the benefit of fellow travelers. For example, “no jeans allowed” is a wrong information; there is no dress code. Jeans are allowed, tights are fine too. Pajamas are OK, dhothis are OK too. I hiked with a short and tee shirt and neither someone stopped me nor I looked weirdo. Though I carried a long sleeve pullover and a jogging stretch pants-just in case it gets cooler at night, I didn't have to use them at all. Though I wore a hiking shoe, I could see many wearing slippers, and a few on barefoot (as if part of their prayers).
From Jammu, I went to the bus stand and boarded a bus to Katra at 8 AM. Conductor took Rs. 70 (but on my way back I paid Rs. 60, so the first conductor made Rs. 10 pocket-money out of me!).
The driver gave an impression that the bus is ready to leave by moving it a few inches, then slowly bringing it back. Such a deceptive tactic to grab a few more passengers from other buses! Finally, the bus started moving by 8:30. It moved at snail’s pace for next 30 minutes, stopping everywhere in Jammu outskirts lobbying for more passengers. The only problem I had on the bus was ear piercing high pitch noise of very egregious Punjabi bhangra songs (I didn't expect Punjabi folk in J&K). The outside scene in April was dried up rivers and rivulets with nothing other than gray pebbles on my left, joining with the mighty Tawi river on my right. I also noticed an unusual amount of billboard advertisements for cycles. I haven't seen many cyclists in Jammu or Katra, yet there were some 6–8 giant billboards of cycles I could see. Also many ads of ‘top’ private schools in Dalhousie (HP). Looks like rich kids of Jammu study in boarding schools of Dalhousie.
By around 9:45 I reached Katra bus stand. I took a shared auto to Ban Ganga check post (from where the hike begins) and paid Rs. 50. There was a long queue for yatra parchi, which I didn't have to go through. After security check of my bag which had everything for a day hike including a binocular (several blog post on Vaishno Devi trip mentions binoculars are prohibited, which is incorrect information), I started my ascent at 10 AM. I also carried water and packed lunch, both of which could have avoided as the trail had plenty of water vending machines and good & inexpensive food joints.
There are multiple modes of transportation from Ban Ganga/Katra to Bhawan (the main Vaishno Devi temple); on foot which I chose, on pony — walked along with the pony caretaker (a return trip to Bhawan costs around Rs. 800), on palki/pallak carts (passenger sits on a seat and lifted by four strong men sweating to carry him/her up the hill), that cost around Rs. 1800, and Heli sortie (that cost around Rs. 1800). I could see two or even three persons on top of ponies at places! And there were prams and strollers for the kids (I could see teenage girls/boys in prams as well), pushed by trolley pullers.
I took ‘new’ steep trecking course to Vaishno Devi Bhawan (13 km), passing through Charan Paduka (3 km), Adh Kuwari (6 km), and Sanji Chatt (9.5 km), which are placed equidistant in the trip. Mind that there is a newer course, the so-called ‘terracotta marg’ which is longer (via Himkoti) and deserted (not many shops, yet ascent seemingly milder. I have been advised by many not to take that route (although speakers installed along the new course were lobbying the pilgrims to choose that way as the govt had spent Rs. 80 crores to build the path!).
The ascent (new course via Sanji Chat) was mild till Adh Kuwari (strange name! Original name had been Aadi Kumari-=eternal virgin, which later transformed to Ardh Kumari=Half Virgin, and finally to Adh Kuwari= No specific meaning). From Adh Kuwari to Sanji Chaat, the ascent was rather moderate to difficult. From Sanji Chaat to Bhawan was rather plain or mildly descending. I reached Bhawan by 2:30 PM, after 4:30 hrs of the good hike at my normal pace (not too slow, not too fast too; just Goldilocks!).
The experience was rather mixed; the hike was not a typical Himalayan hike amidst the wilderness that I am so fond of. The whole trekking course was on paved, interlocked blocks of concrete, and covered with wire mesh painted green on both sides of the path. Mostly, the course also had a tin roof. In a nutshell, you are climbing uphill through a tube or a cave (like the cave at Vaishno Devi temple), with no outside contact. The movement is chaotic with ponies and walkers haphazardly moving in both directions without any lane etiquette. Pony excrements were everywhere and after the trip, my shoe sole was full of it. The smell of hike was far from that of fresh Himalayan scent with wildflowers; rather it was that of pony excrement, strong urea odor from pony urine, and incense stick fumes from the shops, all mixed up. It has been a week now since I took the hike, still the smell lingers in my nose (I might never forget it). Not quite repugnant; it is an experience ineffable, that is. While ponies were well behaved not to hit you, passengers on top of them were not, and at multiple places, their shoes would hit my back, rather disgustingly. Shops were everywhere all the way to Bhawan, selling all sort of things, including food, memorabilia, bangles, juice and so on. Speakers (Bose make) were installed all over the course and was interspersing with announcements of lost and found people, devotional songs, and warnings (such as never charter an unregistered pony), all in Hindi. There were landslide warning boards affixed at many places. I remember at one point I was petrified with something hitting on the tin roof and rolling down the course; later I found it was caused by jumping off a mischievous monkey rather than a landslide/shooting stones!
I had been to many Hindu pilgrim centers in the past; compared to most (for example, consider Kashi Vishwanath Temple), Vaishno Devi seemed to be much better managed and clean. Temple trust employees wearing uniforms and helmets were everywhere cleaning the path. Trash bins can be seen throughout the path. Normal and cold drinking water vending machines (free of charge) are available after every kilometers or so, so as toilets. Food served in restaurants are priced modestly, with prominent, trust-approved, rate lists displayed on the walls. Hospital facilities are available at major stoppages. Temple lockers were free of charge. Even I could find water faucets specially build for ponies, and animal husbandry units to treat sick ponies. Overall, I am truly impressed with the way trustees manage the temple.
Flora mostly includes Himalayan blue pine, poplar, deodar, Kashmir cypress, Oriental plane and so on. There were wild fern patches everywhere, as well as foliose lichens on tree barks. Beautiful bilaterally symmetrical flowers resembling wild orchids can be seen at places around Ardh Kuwari; these are not true orchids but of orchid tree/mountain ebony (Bauhinia variegata).
After spending some time at Bhawan that included a visit to the temple, and having masala dosha from a shop maintained by the temple trust, I started the final leg of my ascent, to Kal Bhairav temple (2.5 km). Hike was steepest and most difficult in the entire course. I reached the top by around 3:45. The scene from sunset point (the highest spot in the entire hike) was breathtaking with white building complexes of Vaishno Devi downwards, Katra township at a distance and the winding course of Tawi river stretching all the way to the horizon. Surprisingly there was a J&K Bank ATM out there. Monkeys were mostly Gray (Hanuman) Langur, distinct from Rhesus Macaque that I found till Vaishno Devi Shrine. A lone langur with deformed face caught my attention; perhaps the aftermath of a bad fight.
After relishing the scene and breathing some fresh Himalayan air, I started my descent at 4:00 PM, and reached the Van Ganga exit by 8:00 PM (after having 30 minutes of chair massage to relax my sore muscles @Rs 50). At first, I took stairs to descend to save time; no sooner I found it taxing to my knees than I switched from stairs to slopes. My suggestion is to stick with slopes throughout the hike.
Three scenes remain unforgettable; the first is a newborn baby in a pram, who looked to me like a premature birth. Parents dressed western and were feeding the formula through a syringe with a tube that is directly attached to the baby’s stomach. I haven't seen anything like that. Why on earth the did parents take a decision to climb the hill with such a small baby that needs meticulous medical care and attention? Why taking dire risks?
Another scene was that of a very old lady. She first laid down; then did a crunch like motion and picked up a stone from below her foot. She laid on her back and put the stone as far behind as possible. Stood up, took a reverse step towards Bhawan and laid down such a way that the stone is below her foot, and this cycle continues. Virtually, she is climbing the hill backward as if she is measuring the distance by her body. Extremely slow (in this pace, she might need a couple of weeks to reach on top), and excruciating to her aging body. This is just another incarnation of the same superstition that I have seen at Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, Karnataka during my school days; scenes of “Made made snana.” Lower caste people roll over the leftover food on plantain leaves left behind by Brahmins after their feast; this would supposedly give them moksha! The third scene was little girls (kanyas=virgins) dressed up in shiny red saree with golden linings as if they were incarnations of Vaishno Devi, the eternal virgin. These little girls sit on the path in such a vulnerable posture; glad none got injured from ponies or people …all were in a mad rush. These little girls deserve much better treatment from society, friends. Let’s send them to schools. The sight virtually broke my heart.
Overall the experience was unique; a conglomeration of hiking, religion, horses, food, nature and so on. A simulacrum of pipedream! I did enjoy, with a few reservations. Would I recommend to others? Of course, I will. Would I like to go back again? Perhaps not in immediate future; let me explore some natural trails ;-)
