Over 1500 Prasad packets distributed to Vaishno Devi devotees across country

Jammu:In less than a month, the Shrine Board has facilitated more than 1500 packets of Prasad to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi devotees through speed post across the country.Pertinently, on August 28, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board entered into an agreement with the Department of Posts, for the speedy delivery of Prasad to the devotees.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, on September 21, formally launched home delivery of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Pooja Prasad for devotees who may not be able to visit the famed Hindu pilgrimage, located between three peaked mountains popularly known as 'Trikuta', in view of COVID19.

"So far, over 1500 packets of Pooja Prasad have been dispatched by the Shrine Board to the devotees across the country through speed post for which the Board has entered into an agreement with the Postal Department," a Shrine Board Official here said on Wednesday.

He said that to get Prasad delivered home packed in sanitized boxes, a devotee can book the Pooja Prasad through Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board's website."Once the booking is done, the Board ensures that Pooja is performed within 72 hours and Prasad is dispatched through Speed Post," he said.

Meanwhile Shrine Board on Wednesday also planned to introduced a mobile app for devotees to have live darshan of Aarti.

"Working on the directions of Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha for optimum use of technological interventions to expand the reach, the Shrine Board is planning to launch a mobile app for devotees to have live darshan straight from the Holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi," said an official.

The app, set to be launched on October 17- the first day of Navratri- would also have features to conduct live "Havan" (offerings made to the sacred fire) for devotees.Currently, Aarti (daily ritual of worship) is being live-streamed on a religious TV Channel.

Since the inception of the Shrine Board in the year 1986, there has been a steadfast increase in the pilgrims visit (Yatra) to the holy shrine, however, due to corona pandemic, it witnessed a significant decline this year.The Yatra was resumed on August 16 initially with a ceiling of 5000 pilgrims per day with the safety procedures.

PPE kits have been provided to the Shrine Board employees and Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) has been put in place to keep the infection under check.(UNI)