Navratri, one of the most auspicious festival in Hindu calendar, will begin from Sunday. Ahead of the 9-day festivity, the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has reportedly issued a new rule regarding dress codes for the visiting devotees. It is now a requirement to wear appropriate attire when visiting Vaishno Devi temple and participating in the ‘Atka Aarti’. Wearing capri, T-shirts, and similar clothing items is strictly prohibited.
Information boards have been set up at various locations within the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, and announcements are also being broadcast. Devotees who are not dressed appropriately will be denied access to both the shrine and the ‘Aarti’.
While the dress code instructions about wearing appropriate attire have been in place at the Shrine for quite sometime, this time, it will be rigorously enforced starting from Navratri 2023. Vaishno Devi Shrine Board administration will closely monitor the clothing of devotees, and people are being informed and reminded about this well in advance.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has introduced special arrangements for devotees observing the Navratri fasts this year. Complimentary fruits will be offered to devotees along all yatra routes at the langars organised by the Shrine Board. Earlier, a falahar thali was available at the Shrine Board’s eatery during Navratri. However, this year, the novel addition of a ‘Falahar Langar’ will be introduced at various locations. Devotees can avail of this facility at the Tarakot site on Mata Vaishno Devi’s new Tarakot route, the Sanjhi Chhat area on the traditional route, and the Bhairav temple complex in Bhairav Valley.