Devotees throng Vaishno Devi temple on New Year's Eve - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Thousands of devotees converged in Katra town here to visit Vaishno Devi during the lunar eclipse and commencement of Magh. The shrine, which is located 12 kilometers from Katra, is located at an altitude of 5200 feet above sea level. Besides pilgrims, tourists from all over the country and even abroad have poured in here to celebrate this day. Deepak, a devotee from Amritsar said that they chose to visit Vaishno Devi because they wanted to celebrate the New Year in a different way. "We thought that every year we go to clubs or discos and celebrate New Year there and this year we thought of doing something different. Every year we come to revered Hindu shrine, Vaishno Devi during the months of September or October. This year we have decided that we will go to Vaishno Devi to celebrate December 31," said Deepak. Aishwarya, a devotee from New Delhi said that she has come here for a blissful married life with the blessings of Vaishno Devi. "This is the first time that I am visiting Vaishno Devi and I am here because we are newly married couple and I need to take blessings for a healthy married life," said Aishwarya.