13 Dec : Surpassing all the previous pilgrim arrival records, Vaishnodevi yatra has set a new milestone this year as over 82.34 lakh pilgrims thronged the cave-shrine located in Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The pilgrimage to Mata Vaishnodevi has set a new record has been created. The yatra has crossed last year’s total yatra figure of 82,34,896 lakh pilgrim arrival this year on December 10. It is highest number of the pilgrims visiting this shrine till now,” Additional Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board (SMVSB), Dr Mandeep K Bandari said.
Till the last reports, a total of 82.55 pilgrims have had darshan at the cave shrine and it is likely to go upto to 84 lakh by the end of this year. In 2009, 8234896 pilgrims had darshan at cave shrine.
It is 13.45 lakh more than previous year (2008) and 8.33 lakh more than the total pilgrims arrival of 74.17 lakh in 2007.
In 2008, there was fall in the pilgrim flow to cave shrine due to two-month long Amarnath land row agitation in Jammu and Kashmir and only a total of 67.5 lakh pilgrimage visited the cave shrine.
In 2006, the yatra reached to 69.5 lakh mark and 67.83 lakh pilgrims visited cave shrine in 2005.
