Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, who is busy promoting his upcoming film Welcome To The Jungle, paid obeisance at the sacred Shri Vaishno Devi Shrine in the Trikuta Hills of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Friday.

Amid promotions and media engagements, Akshay Kumar arrived at the Panchhi helipad from Jammu in a special helicopter, where he was welcomed by officials of the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the police. He then reached Katra, the base camp for the pilgrimage, before proceeding to the cave shrine to offer prayers and seek the blessings of the goddess.

The actor travelled for darshan in a battery-operated vehicle. After offering special prayers to Mata Vaishno Devi, the priests presented him with the goddess’ sacred chunri. He later travelled to Bhairav Valley via cable ropeway and offered prayers to Lord Bhairavnath.

It is believed that the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage remains incomplete unless devotees also offer prayers at the Bhairavnath temple. After completing the rituals, Akshay returned to Jammu by helicopter around noon.

The actor spent some time at the shrine before returning. His visit comes at a time when the shrine is witnessing a steady influx of devotees ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra.

Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama, Akshay Kumar was accompanied by a large entourage during the visit. The actor was provided VVIP arrangements, allowing him hassle-free access to the shrine, while ordinary devotees continued to wait in long queues for darshan.

The Vaishno Devi Temple, dedicated to Goddess Vaishnavi, attracts millions of devotees every year. Nestled in the Trikuta Hills at an altitude of around 5,200 feet above sea level, the shrine is regarded as one of Hinduism’s holiest Shakti Peethas. Pilgrims undertake a trek of nearly 13 kilometres from Katra to reach the sacred cave, although helicopter services, ponies and battery-operated vehicles are also available.