In an important step, the government recently banned the sale of liquor and non-vegetarian food for 2 months in Everyone district of Jammu which is known as the holy abode of Maa Durga. Lakhs of devotees visit the Maa Vaishno Devi temple located in the Katra Hills. This order was adopted in Vaishno Devi Shrine Board through Piyush Dhotra, Divisional Judge, Katra, Jammu and Kashmir. This ban is imposed not only on believers, but also on residents, including shop owners!
This order was issued under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Security (BNSS) Code. Violators of this order will be prosecuted. The Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Jammu and Kashmir has issued a press release to announce the order and the police department has also been informed for strict implementation.
Where does the ban apply?
The media reports that all types of non-vegetarian foods, including eggs, chicken, meat, seafood and all other animal products, will be strictly prohibited. It will be applicable to key areas like villages within a radius of 2 kilometers from the road from Katra to the holy cave and nearby roads. In particular, these are Arali, Ganzali and Matyal.
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Apart from this, order is also required on the Katra-Tikri, Katra-Jammu, Katra-Reasi and Pantal-Domel roads. The ban also applies to villages like Chamba, Serli, Bhagta, Kundaryan, Kotli Bajalian, Noman, Mughal, Nau Deviyan and Agar Jeeta. The aim is to maintain the sanctity of the temple, the holy cave and the surrounding area, which are visited by millions of devotees every year.
A new cable car project for believers
Not only this, but the Modi government has given its nod to a new ropeway project for the Vaishno Devi Mata devotees. When the cable car is completed, the journey from Katra to Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan will be reduced to just one hour from the current seven hours on foot. This new project will cost around INR 300 crore and will provide pilgrims with a faster and easier route than hiring horses or helicopters to reach the temple. This move by the government is likely to improve the spiritual experience as well as the logistics for the devotees while preserving the sanctity of the holy place.
(Images courtesy of iStock)
