Several pilgrims grounded in Vaishno Devi due to lockdown

At this critical juncture when Coronavirus seems to be spreading at a steady rate in India and the entire nation has been locked down to prevent its further outbreak, in the state of Jammu hundreds of pilgrims have been stranded near the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi.
According to the latest news reports, these pilgrims had come from different parts of the country on a pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine, but, due to the unexpected 21-day lockdown imposed by the Central government, they have nowhere to go except take shelter in a temple complex in Jammu.

Apparently, these pilgrims have been running out of money and all they want is to return home safely to their family.
Meanwhile, the Jammu administration is taking care of them by providing food with the help of local volunteers.


Sanjeev Verma, Divisional Commissioner, told the press that the administration is looking after them and making sure they do not face any problem.

The Jammu government had suspended Mata Vaishno Devi yatra on March 18 due to the rising threat of COVID-19 infection. The cave-shrine of Vaishno Devi attracts countless devotees every month even during peak winters. The inflow of devotees does not stop even during landslides in the region. However, the shrine board had to take a firm decision by closing the temple portals for the sake of public welfare.