Jammu, 10 June (H.S.): More than three lakh pilgrims paid obeisance in the first week of this month at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine nestled in Trikuta Hills of Katra town in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials here on Wednesday said that with the start of the summer vacations in schools and colleges, the Katra town is witnessing a huge rush of pilgrims from across the country.

In the first week of the current month, more than three lakh pilgrims have visited the Mata Vaishno Devi, they said.

The number of pilgrims is swelling sharply in view of the summer vacations, they said.

They said that on June 1, 37,100 devotees visited the cave shrine, on June 2, 40,200, on June 3: 40,300, June 4, 40,000, June 5, 42,500, on June 6: 47,500, on June 7: 48,300 and on June 8, 48,500 devotees paid obeisance at the holy shrine.

Officials, however, said that due to heavy rush at pilgrimage registration counters, the Shrine Board had to close the registration counters early on several occasions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar