Other States - Jammu & Kashmir   

Heat wave has no effect on rush to Vaishno Devi shrine

By Our Staff Reporter

JAMMU JUNE 4. Despite the unusual heat wave, the rush to the famous Vaishno Devi shrine has only gone up this year and thousands of pilgrims continue to throng the State.

Belying the authorities estimate that the number of pilgrims would dwindle in the face of severe heat wave conditions, the rush is more this season than what it was some months ago when the weather was pleasant.

Every day 24,000 to 25,000 devotees are arriving in the State for pilgrimage to the shrine while the normal rate of arrival is anywhere between 12,000 and 14,000 pilgrims a day.

A record 1.8 million pilgrims have visited the shrine since January 1, which is 3.3 lakhs in excess of last year's figure. In May, 5,73,000 devotees visited the shrine whereas the figure in the corresponding period last year was 4,07,000.

The Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has augmented the drinking water supply and built a number of shelters on the path leading to the shrine.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Heat wave has no effect on rush to Vaishno Devi shrine
• A homecoming: S. K. Sinha

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu