With just a day left for the commencement of this year's Shardiya Navratras, uncertainty looms large over the conduct of the annual Navratra Festival at the holy town of Katra, as authorities have yet to make a final decision on the event, which usually draws thousands of devotees from different parts of the world.
The silence of the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has raised doubts about whether the festival, traditionally held with much fanfare during Shardiya Navratras, will take place this year.
"Chances of this year's Navratra Festival are very bleak as authorities have yet to take any decision in this regard," President of the Katra Hotel and Restaurant Association, Rakesh Wazir, told International Business Times. He admitted that holding the Navratra Festival after the devastating landslide on the track appeared impossible.
"As of now, we are ready for this year's Navratra Festival, but we are waiting for directions from the higher-ups," Rajesh Raina, Assistant Director, Tourism, told International Business Times. He added that he himself was camping at Katra to monitor the situation.
Vaishno Devi Yatra suspended for 23 days
The hesitation stems from the recent natural disaster and incessant rains that lashed the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The SMVDSB was forced to suspend the Yatra for 23 days after a devastating landslide hit the track near Ardkunwari, resulting in the deaths of 34 devotees.
Given the disruption, officials are reportedly finding it difficult to organize the festival at such short notice.
Navratra festival launched in 1996
The festival, first launched by the Tourism Department in 1996, has since become an annual highlight, attracting devotees and tourists alike. However, this year's devastation has left organizers struggling to decide whether to go ahead with the celebrations.
If cancelled, this will mark the fourth disruption in the festival's history. Earlier, it was either cancelled or observed in a subdued manner due to the 2014 Kashmir floods, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the Assembly elections in 2024. Now, heavy rains and landslides are being cited as the main reasons for the likely cancellation in 2025.
Preparations continue despite uncertainty
Despite the uncertainty, some preparatory work continues in Katra, where welcome gates have been installed at intersections and buildings are being decorated with flowers brought from within the country and abroad. However, organizers admit that the usual vibrancy and grandeur of the festival are likely to be missing this year.
"Only a day is left. Even if the government clears the festival now, organizing it on a large scale is nearly impossible," said an organizer.
Sources said senior officials of the Tourism Department and the Shrine Board are yet to make an official announcement, leaving devotees, traders, and locals in suspense.
For now, the fate of the Navratra Festival 2025 hangs in the balance, with the final word resting on whether authorities choose tradition over caution in the aftermath of a devastating natural calamity.
