Jai Mata Di! I am from Jhansi and would like to go to Vaishno Devi in May, and I would like to know a few things before I make any decisions. Such important pilgrimages can be very busy during some parts of the year which I would like to avoid, so would May be a good time to go Vaishno Devi? If May is not the time to visit, when do you suggest? What is the best way to reach Vaishno Devi from Jhansi?
Mid May onwards would be very busy as the school holidays would have started, and many people with their families would be traveling to destinations including to pilgrimages. It would be good to go before the holidays start early May or after the holidays finish which is in July. The best way to reach Vaishno Devi is by train. There is a direct train from Jhansi to Katra.
Hello, @Shivank! Welcome to the forum! So generally, there are three peak tourist seasons for Vaishno Devi: March & April and October or the Navratra Festival - Nav means nine and ratri means night, so combined, Navratri means Nine Nights. It's a festival celebrating the nine manifestations of the Mother Goddess. It usually occurs during the months of March or April. There's a rush of pilgrims during this time of the year and it's best avoided if you do not want to queue for many hours. May, June and early July or the Summer Season - The summer season is the start of the vacation for many students, hence this time also has a lot of pilgrims and devotees in the Vaishno Devi. New Year - Holiday season witnesses lots of pilgrims and tourists to the Vaishno Devi and the New Year is one of these times. Aside from that, the colder weather attracts many pilgrims to the region. As you can see, May is considered as one of the tourist peak months in Vaishno Devi. During the month of May, there would be a higher rush of devotees in the temple and it is highly crowded. You can pick between these months: February to March - Despite the colder climate and temperature, these months don't have the surge of devotees as compared to other months. Perhaps because the elderly and the children are not that apt to handle these months due to the coldness. Hence, your pilgrimage would be an easier one with lesser crowds if you go during these months. Just make sure that you wear your heavy woollen clothing. Make sure that you are wearing shoes with good grips as well. Mid-September to October - Just after the monsoon season, the region blooms into lush greenery. It's also a good time to visit the Vaishno Devi during these months. Make sure you plan your trip accordingly and do not go during the Navratra Festival, usually occurs by October. Bring your umbrellas as well as rain showers might still occur during this time. A general rule of thumb, according to the Vaishno Devi website, is to check the number of pilgrims in their site. A number between 15,000 to 18,000 is good enough and your pilgrimage would be on the easier side with these numbers. Anything higher than that might prove to be more difficult and you'd have to queue for longer hours as well. Here are your transportation options from Jhansi to Vaishno Devi: 1. Train - There are five trains operating between Jhansi Junction to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra: SVDK Premium Express Train No. 22679 - Departs every Monday from Jhansi Junction at 00:43. It arrives at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 19:45. Himsagar Express Train No. 16317 - Departs every Sunday from Jhansi Junction at 14:12. It arrives at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 15:20. Navyug Express Train No. 16687 - Departs every Wednesday from Jhansi Junction at 14:12. It arrives at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 15:20. Jammutawi Express Train No. 11449 - Departs every Tuesday from Jhansi Junction at 14:553. It arrives at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 15:20. Andaman Express Train No. 16031 - Departs every Monday, Thursday and Friday from Jhansi Junction at 14:55. It arrives at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 15:20. Journey time is around 18 to 22 hours. Katra is just a few minutes away from the railway station. You can either walk it or ride an auto to reach it. 2. Bus - You can ride a bus from Jhansi to Delhi. The main bus stand is at eastern side of the city, on the Jhansi-Kanpur highway. Timings of buses going to Delhi are: 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Journey is around 12 hours. From Delhi, there are direct buses going to Katra. Here are their timings: State Owned Sarkari Buses - Departs from ISBT Kashmiri Gate at 7:00, 13:30, 22:40 and 23:30. Volvo Buses at Rs. 800 and Non-AC Buses at Rs. 365. Private Buses - There are different private bus operators plying from Delhi to Katra. One of which is the Golden Temple Bus Service, which departs at 9:30 pm and arrives at 8:00 am. Fare is at Rs. 1,299 per passenger. Another one is Swagatam Holidays, departs at 7:50 pm and arrives at 7:30 am. Fare is at Rs. 1,300 per passenger. Both of these buses are Volvo AC Semi-Sleeper. 3. Hired Taxi - This is very costly but you can reach Katra faster this way. You can go to Delhi via bus and from there, ride a taxi going to Katra. Fare would be between Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 16,000. So with these, I think your best option is a train as it's direct and you can opt for a more comfortable class. I hope this helps!
