The paid darshan scheme enforced at the venerated Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu & Kashmir region, which allowed special ’darshan’ and ’aarti’ through special gates and passages to devotees on extra payment, has been scrapped. This decision was taken by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) recently, following public pressure demanding the annulment of the paid darshan scheme. The explanation given for the promulgation of the said scheme by the SMVDSB was to meet the heavy rush of devotees and also to earn more revenue.

 

The SMVDSB’s present decision now scraps all modes of out of queue darshan at the holy shrine. The J&K Governor and the Chairman of SMVDSB Lt., General (retd) SK Sinha has underscored that this system was introduced on an experimental basis. SK Sinha, however, also mentioned that the board will soon chart out guidelines to provide darshan facility for the staff of the shrine board, security force members as well as those from some other special categories. Singh pointed out that this will be minimal.