Jammu, Sept. 20 -- With just two days left for the commencement of this year's Navratras, uncertainty looms large over the conduct of the annual Navratra Festival at Katra as authorities have yet to announce a final decision.
The silence of the Tourism Department and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has raised doubts about whether the festival, traditionally held with much fanfare, will take place this year.
The hesitation stems from the recent natural disaster and incessant rains that lashed Jammu and Kashmir, causing widespread damage and forcing a 23-day halt in the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage. Given the disruption, officials are reportedly finding it difficult to organize the festival at such short notice.
The festival, first...