Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone for Shree Shankaracharya Temple beside Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra, fulfilling a 1960s vision with Rs 31.51 crore funding from the Shrine Board.
Local landowners donated 41 kanals through the 2025 MoU, receiving 50 commercial shops within the complex, generating economic momentum for the Reasi region’s youth and enterprises.
Sinha envisioned millions of annual pilgrims extending darshan from Vaishno Devi to Shankaracharya sthalam, injecting vitality into J&K’s tourism circuit while embodying India’s eternal Sanatan continuum.
Shrine Board scaled Puja Samagri procurement from Rs 5 crore to Rs 12 crore immediately, targeting Rs 50 crore supporting 1,500 women via 20 additional self-help groups alongside Gurukul Vedic education revival.
Enhanced infrastructure positions Katra as a premier spiritual destination, channeling civilizational heritage through modern vibrancy, where sacred sites propel regional prosperity, sustaining dharmic legacy.
The temple manifests Advaita Acharya’s Kashmiri legacy alongside Vaishno Devi’s shakti peetham, uniting Shaiva-Shakta streams, drawing pan-Indian devotees, and strengthening Jammu’s cultural-economic resurgence.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board funded Rs 31.51 crore Shankaracharya Temple foundation in Katra, integrating landowner compensation while boosting regional SHG livelihoods and spiritual tourism.
