Legend is more than 700 years ago Vaishno Devi a devotee of Lord Vishnu used to pray to Lord Rama and had taken a vow of celibacy. Bhairon Nath, a tantric tried to behold her. Using his tantric powers, he was able to see her going towards Trikuta Mountains and he followed her. The Goddess felt thirsty at Banganga and shot an arrow into the earth from where water gushed out. There is the Charan Paduka, marked by the imprints of her feet in the place where the Goddess rested. The Goddess then meditated in the cave at Adikawari. It took Bhairon Nath nine months to locate her; thus the cave is also called Garbh Joon. Mata Vaishno Devi blasted an opening at the other end of the cave with her Trident when the tantric located her. On arriving at the Darbar, Mata assumed the form of Maha Kali and cut off Bhairon Nath's head which was flung up the mountain by the force and fell where the Bhairon Temple is now located. The boulder at the mouth of the Holy cave is the torso of Bhairon nath who was granted forgiveness by the benevolent Mata in his dying moments.

The trek begins at Katra either by walk, ponies or dandies and pilgrims have to cover 13 km to reach the Darbar. The entire route is quite wide and tiled; the whole path is also lit up every night. At the start of the journey after procuring the slip one proceeds to Banganga which is at first 1 km- then after 6 km comes the holy cave of Adhkawari, the holy cave where the Mata had meditated for 9 months. After 9.5 km is Sanji Chhat where you can rest, 3.5 km away is Bhawan where one can take a room and rest as there one is given the Batch no. to determine your place in the queue for darshan.

There is women's separate bathing place, have bath then proceed for darshan. Keep chanting all through Jai Mata Di. There is a separate V.I.P. entrance called Indira Gandhi entrance which is the exit route from the cave I was fortunately whisked from that entrance and taken from the exit entrance to have the glorious darshan of Mata Ji. I had the fortune of sitting in the cave and perform puja, as remember the pujari's brother had accompanied me to the temple from Katra. The Divine darshan is of the mother goddess in the three-pindi forms - Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. This is the first temple which gave in prasad mone- coins from the Mata's offering which is kept safely by me till date. The holy water coming from the feet of the mata can be collected near the exit of the gate. After the darshan one can come out and perform the puja by pandas available. After successfully completing the puja and darshan the red chuni is tied on the forehead as sign of completion of darshan - then feed 9 unmarried small girls food, partake some food yourself and proceed to Bhairon Temple 2.5 km from Bhavan, as then the yatra is complete. The return path is just 13 km and is different and joins Sanjhi Chhat.

I had started the journey at 4:00 am early morning and was back in the hotel by 4:30 pm in the evening same day. The downward journey is very fast as actually the dandiwallas were running down the path. The whole day from start to end the chanting of Jai Mata Di was essential as Mata only takes you up to the cave and brings you back safely and full of happiness. Next day I took a taxi and proceeded to Jammu to carry on to Bombay.