SMVDSB approves international museum on Maa Shakti’s heritage
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) on Sunday gave its formal nod to proposals for establishing an international museum dedicated to Maa Shakti’s spiritual heritage, a sound-and-light spectacle modelled on global pilgrimage sites, and a documentary on the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
The Shrine board took a series of high-impact decisions to completely transform Mata’s Shrine and its surrounding region into India’s leading and most vibrant spiritual destination, earning worldwide acclaim.
Emphasising on pilgrim safety, the Board also approved the enhancement of insurance cover from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per pilgrim.
Since Mata’s abode puts Katra city on the global map, the board has decided to contribute directly to the city’s transformation.
“It’s the Board’s resolve to make Katra clean, vibrant, and equipped with modern infrastructure for residents and the millions who arrive as pilgrims,” Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, said while chairing the meeting of the board in Jammu.
A statement issued by the office of the Lieutenant Governor on Sunday stated, “The members of the Shrine Board endorsed the preliminary concept for constructing an International Museum with the consultation of the Asian Heritage Foundation dedicated to Mata Vaishno Devi at Natali, Katra. The proposed Shakti Museum will be the first of its kind and would serve as a religious, educational and cultural centre. Additionally, the state-of-the-art light & sound shows will bring mythology to life through a fusion of tradition and innovation”.
The Lieutenant Governor requested the Board to provide concrete suggestions, enabling the project to be initiated in the coming months and completed within a two-year timeframe. The meeting was attended by all Board Members, including Mahamandleshwar Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj, Baleshwar Rai, Dr Ashok Bhan, Sudha Murty, Gunjan Rana, Dr KK Talwar, Kulbhushan Ahuja, Lalit Bhasin and Suresh Kumar Sharma.
In another important initiative, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has decided to fill vacant positions, with the recruitment process set to begin shortly.
According to the spokesman, the SMVDSB has also given its formal nod towards the establishment of coaching centres offering free NEET preparation to youth from surrounding areas.
The SMVDSB approved formulation and phased implementation of a rehabilitation plan for the service providers on the Mata Vaishno Devi track, like ponywallas, etc., in line with the directives of the National Green Tribunal.
The Shrine Board has also constituted a committee to assess strategies for expanding pilgrimage numbers, enhancing pilgrimage experience and present recommendations to the board.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has resolved to prioritise purchases from self-help groups, women and young local entrepreneurs to supercharge the regional economy.
The Board has also decided that the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board would source Mata’s offerings locally, channelling funds directly into community growth. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has also decided to spearhead sports development across the Jammu region- cultivating future champions, safeguarding youth health, and transforming Jammu & Kashmir UT into a national sporting powerhouse alongside its spiritual eminence.
