Goddess Vaishno Devi

One of the holiest Hindu Pilgrimage destinations in India, Vaishno Devi is devoted to Goddess Shakti. It is nestled in the serene lands of Kashmir in the north eastern state of Jammu and Kashmir. Revered worldwide, it’s a land where all your wishes get fulfilled. The holy cave of Vaishno Devi is nestled at a height of 1615 m on the Trikuta Hills of the Shivalik Range.

Every year, devotees with unflinching faith come to seek blessings from Maa Vaishno. The Darshans of the holy cave are in form of three natural rock formations called Pindies - Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. Darshans are open to everyone all throughout the year.

The distance from Katra to Vaishnio Devi main Bhawan is around 13 kms and to Bhairon Ghati, the distance is 14.5 kms.

History of Vaishno Devi

Goddess Vaishno Devi is considered to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, Saraswati and Kali. She was born to kill the demon king, Mahishasura. The divine Goddess took birth to Ratnakar and was named Vaishnavi. She was the brightest of all her fellow friends and above all, she was more knowledgeable than many great scholars. The girl, by refusing all worldly ties went into a dense jungle to meditate. She worshipped Lord Vishnu and soon she built an ashram to meditate peacefully.

Bhairon Nath, being hooked by her grace and beauty annoyed her to marry him. The Goddess ran away from him and after a period of hide and seek; she confronted the man at the cave’s entrance and beheaded Bhairon Nath. After his death, he realized his mistake and asked the Goddess to forgive him. Having being forgiven, he was blessed that the Vaishno Devi Yatra of pilgrims would be incomplete without witnessing the Bhairon Nath temple. Thereafter, Vaishnavi left her human body and transformed into a rock statue.

Maa Vaishno Devi

The Three Pindies - Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati

At the main bhawan of Vaishno Devi, devotees take the darshan of Maa Vaishno Devi in the form of three pindis, which represent the three forms of Maa Shakti i.e. Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. The main bhawan of Vaishno Devi has been renovated by using marbles. Below get more information on three Pindis in Vaishno Devi.

Goddess Maha Kali

The holy Pindi of Maha Kali immersed in black towards the right of the devotee is the supreme energy of dissolution. It represents the Tam Guna - a quality reflecting the unknown realms of life. As per Psychology, a tint of the universe is conscious, the other remains unconscious or subconscious. The unknown realms incorporates the mysteries of life. The Energy that trounces the barriers of life is Maha Kali. Mata Maha Kali, represented in black color is the basic source that remains unknown to man. The Goddess helps mankind to vanish the forces of darkness.

Goddess Maha Saraswati

Lying at the extreme left, the Pindi is worshipped as Maha Saraswati. It is represented in wheatish color and is the Supreme force of creation. The Goddess is the source of all knowledge, creation, righteousness, wisdom, spiritualism, art, and piousness. Basically, she stands to represent Satva Guna- the quality of purity.

Goddess Maha Lakshmi

The Holy Pindi of Maha Lakshmi lies at the center of temple. It is associated with yellowish-red tinge and is known to be supreme energy of maintenance. She is the basic source of prosperity, wealth, quality of life, material gains, and prosperity. Mata Maha Lakshmi represents Rajas Guna- the quality of effort and inspiration.