Katra Town, located 48 kilometres from Jammu in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains, serves as a base camp for visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi's famous shrine, which is accessible by foot via a 13-kilometer-long well-kept path. On their way to the sacred site, almost 4.5 million pilgrims pass through Katra each year.
Vegetarian eateries and dining establishments abound in Katra. Because it is a sacred site, practically all of these eateries and catering outlets serve only vegetarian meals to pilgrims, with no onion or garlic. Pilgrims are also asked to respect the sanctity of the Holy Place by refraining from demanding non-vegetarian food or alcohol from any establishment. Provision, general, and medical shops can be found throughout Katra, as well as in Adkuwari and Bhawan.