Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu, visited Vaishno Devi shrine on Thursday, 9 September, walking to the temple from Katra on foot.
According to IANS, this was his 11th pilgrimage in 10 years, from Vindhyachal to Vaishno Devi.
Gandhi told reporters, "I have come here to offer prayers to Mata and I don't want to make any political comments."
Videos showed the Congress leader walking to the shrine and the Congress Twitter handle also posted photos of Gandhi being blessed by the head priest of the temple.
Gandhi meets with and is blessed by the Head Pujari and Aarti Pujari for Mata Vaishno Devi Temple.
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)
Congress' J&K unit President Ghulam Ahmed Mir had said earlier that Gandhi will walk to the shrine, take part in the arti in the evening, stay there overnight, and then walk back down the next day.
According to Mir, Gandhi has been planning to visit the temple for years.
"We have been asking Rahul Gandhi for the past three years. He also wanted to come, but the political situation was such that he cannot visit," Mir said, according to news agency ANI.
Gandhi, on a two-day visit to Jammu, will also meet Congress leaders and take feedback of the situation in the Union Territory, particularly after the Taliban capture of Afghanistan, reported IANS.
(With inputs from ANI and IANS.)
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