Vaishno Devi is perhaps one of the most well known pilgrimage centers in India. Many people visit this place in the state of J&K every year.
I went there as a tourist and explorer and less so for any religious sentiment. In fact since i am a Sikh, many people from my faith might get offended if i suggest that i had any religious inclinations.
I enjoyed the foggy weather, the cold breeze, and the trek to the shrine. What i also enjoyed was the presence of an active (relatively speaking) economy in that remote place. There were a number of opportunities for locals and others to earn money (lakshmi) for their living.
As soon as you begin the trek (or even before) there are small shops/kiosks selling prasad (offerings), head covers, sticks to help you walk comfortably, water, raincoats, and Gulshan Kumar's bhajans.
Then you have the mules/horses/porters that help the infirm or the time-constrained to cover the trip easily. (* I was slightly disturbed to see some visitors being carried in carriages lifted by four men on their shoulders. On a steep terrain it is a very difficult task.)
For the ultra busy, or for those looking to experience something new, helicopter services have also been launched. Pawan Hans and Deccan provide these services on all days except when it is foggy.
Interestingly the markets are captured not just by the small business but also by big chains. I was amazed to see numerous Nescafe kiosks (Nestle) doing brisk business. A popular vendor was selling ice-creams as well. On the half-way stop a Cafe Coffee Day (see picture) store was competing with the local jalebi-samosa sellers.
Mobile phones were ubiquitous and the networks were fair enough. The horse masters were using their phones to listen to music while carrying out the extremely boring and mundane task of ferrying passengers on the same route day-in day-out.
I got to visit the shrine in the night. Visit would be an exaggeration. I got a glimpse (you are shoved in and shoved out of the holy caves) of the shrine and what struck me was that it was a shrine not just of Vaishno Devi but also of Lakshmi.
And i found this reality interesting. Lakshmi is present in the Vaishno Devi Shrine and she is present literally with the natives of the remote hills. The shrine is the main source of income for these natives who find it difficult to get employment in a state badly hurt by insurgency.
True that pilgrims have sustained this area for long, but the level of activity there today is much higher. It is good to see the micro-elements of a to be super-power trickling to the remote regions.
I also wonder if shrines can be opened up in all the remote places in India!!!!
