Katra, better known as the gateway to Vaishnodevi is a popular pilgrim spot and every year thousands of pilgrims come to Katra to visit the temple. Katra is easily accessible by road from Jammu, Srinagar, Delhi, Chandigarh and Manali. The nearest railhead and airport is Jammu. Most tourists prefer to trek from Katra to Vaishnodevi but there are a few who prefer to take a helicopter to Vaishnodevi. The permanent abode of the Goddess Vaishnavi is in a cave in the Trikuta mountains. It is unique as it contains the holiest pindis manifesting Mata Vaishnodevi in three forms namely Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. The combination of these three traits in a single Shakti is a unique combination and hence people come here to seek blessings of the Devi. Legend holds that a tantrik called Gorakh Nath became curious of the Mata and wanted to know more about her. He sent his disciple Bhairon Nath to know more about her. Bhairon Nath observed that the Devi always carried a bow and arrow and was surrounded by apes and a ferocious lion. He took a fancy to her, but Mata Vaishnodevi spurned his advances and fled to the Himalayas to continue her spiritual quest. On the way to the Himalayas, the Devi felt thirsty at Banganga and shot an arrow at the earth from where water gushed out. Charan Paduka is the place where she rested and is marked by the imprints of her feet. Thegoddess finally reached Adh Kanwari where she meditated. It took Bhairon Nath nine months to trace her whereabouts. When the demon found her, she blasted an opening in the cave and again fled from there. But the demon still followed her and finally the goddess became very angry and beheaded the demon outside the cave. The severed head of Bhairon Nath felt at a distant hill top. In his last moments, the demon begged and received divine forgiveness. It is believed that the yatra to the temple is not complete until and unless the pilgrim visits the temple of Bhairon Nath, located 2.6kms from the main sanctum.