Brimming with devotees of all religions, the pilgrimage places of Jammu and Kashmir are wondrous creations. The state has several holy sites, which are situated amidst the picturesque surroundings of the mighty Himalayas, valleys and lovely spots over looking the rivers. On one hand, Jammu is popularly called “The City of Temples” while the Ladakh region is known as “The Land of Gompas”. The Kashmir region, too, has a number of temples and mosques of outstanding beauty . Every pilgrimage is a wonder in some or the other perspective. Vaishno Devi is among the most visited religious places and Amarnath Cave is popular for the natural 'ice Shiva-Lingam'. Apart from these Hindu pilgrimage places, Hazratbal Shrine (where Prophet Mohammad's hair is kept inside a glass casket) and some other 'Dargahs' are renowned mosques.
Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is located near the Katra district at a height of 5200 ft. The Devi resides inside a cave on Trikuta, a three-peaked mountain. After reaching Katra, one has to ...