Mata Vaishno Devi Sees Huge Surge in Donations Over Five Years

The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a remarkable increase in pilgrim donations over the past five years, with cash offerings rising from Rs 63.85 crore in FY 2020-21 to Rs 171.90 crore in FY 2024-25 (up to January), according to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB). Gold and silver offerings have also soared, with gold jumping from 9.075 kg to 27.717 kg and silver from 753.630 kg to 3,424.538 kg over the same period, as revealed in an RTI response to Jammu-based activist Raman Sharma.

The shrine, perched atop Trikuta Hills in Reasi district, saw a dip to 17.20 lakh pilgrims in 2020—the lowest in over 30 years—due to a five-month closure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, reopening on August 16. Since then, footfalls have rebounded impressively: 55.88 lakh in 2021, 91.25 lakh in 2022, 95.22 lakh in 2023, and 94.84 lakh in 2024, nearing the all-time high of 1.04 crore in 2012. This resurgence parallels the donation surge, with cash peaking at Rs 231.50 crore in FY 2023-24.

Gold offerings reflect a similar trend, peaking at 33.258 kg in FY 2022-23, while silver hit 4,072.486 kg in FY 2023-24. The SMVDSB, managing the shrine since 1986, noted that these metals arrive impure, their value determined only after refining into .995 and .999 purity coins sold at souvenir shops. The board’s data underscores a post-pandemic devotion boom, with FY 2021-22 marking a sharp recovery in both pilgrims and donations.

This financial uptick supports the board’s infrastructure upgrades, like the upcoming Vaishnavi Bhawan and all-weather queue complexes, as announced by CEO Anshul Garg in December 2024. From 13.95 lakh pilgrims in 1986 to today’s near-100 lakh annual visitors, the shrine’s growing offerings—cash, gold, and silver—highlight its enduring spiritual and economic significance in Jammu and Kashmir.