Katra, Jammu and Kashmir

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Katra or Katra Vaishno Devi, as it is popularly known, is a small town in Reasi district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India, situated in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains, where the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi is located. It is located 42 km from the city ofJammu.

Katra
Temple town
Katra Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India Show map of Jammu and KashmirShow map of IndiaShow all
Coordinates: 32°59′22″N 74°56′0″E
Country	India
State	Jammu and Kashmir
District	Reasi
Elevation	875 m (2,871 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	9,008
Language
• Official	Urdu[1]
• Other	Dogri, Hindi, Punjabi[1]
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	JK
Literacy	70%

GeographyEdit

Katra is located at top .It has an average elevation of 875 metres (2,474 feet). The Banganga River passes through the village.

There have also been reports of possible oil reserves in the area^[3]

The Trikuta Mountains in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, also famous for the Vaishno-Devi temple

DemographicsEdit

As of 2011 India census,^[4] Katra along with Ban-Ganga had a population of 9,008. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Katra has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 65%. In Katra, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

ReligionEdit

Hindus represent 93% of the population, while Muslims, Christians and Sikhs etc, makeup the rest.^[5] Dogri is the native language to Katra and Urdu and English are the official languages.

TourismEdit

Katra serves as the base camp for pilgrims who visit Vaishno Devi. It has a thriving tourism industry that offers plenty of hotels, guest houses, restaurants, dhabas, fast-food joints that fit all kinds of budgets. Free accommodation is provided by some registered trusts in the form of "Sarais" for the poor. The number of pilgrims that visit the shrine every year has increased from 1.4 million in 1986 to 8.2 million in 2009. Over the years, a lot has changed, but main attractions include the "bazaar" (market) for buying souvenirs, dryfruits, woolen garments, hosiery, leather jackets, etc. To reach Vaishno Devi, the pilgrims have to register at Katra before starting the trek. By registering, the pilgrims get accident insurance up to 100,000 INRwhile on the trek of 14 km. There is another trek of 2.5 km from Vaishno Devi temple for Baba Bhaironnath. Electric Vehicles and helicopter services are available for pilgrims.

Panoramic view of Katra, seen from Vaishno Devi.

TransportEdit

Katra Railway Station, Vaishno Devi.

The town has been connected by roads and state highways for a long time but recently it has also been connected by Indian Railways.Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link connects the Katra railway station of Northern Railways to the rest of Indian railways network. It was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 July 2014

Must visit once....  Shri Mata Vaishno Devi....