 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2012) |
| Machail Mata | |
|---|---|
Durga Mata/ Chitto Mata/ Machail Mata | |
 Machail Temple Shrine | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Deity | Chandi |
| Status | Open |
| Location | |
| Location | Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Country |  India |
  Shown within Jammu and Kashmir  Machail Mata (India) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 33°25′2.49″N 76°20′40.19″E / 33.4173583°N 76.3444972°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Hindu architecture |
| Style | Pahari |
Machail Chandi Mata Temple, popularly known as Machail Mata, is a shrine to Chandi, a form of the Hindu goddess Durga, in the village of Machail in Paddar, Kishtwar district of jammu Kashmir Thousands of pilgrims, mainly from the Jammu region, visit the shrine every August.[1]
History
[edit]The shrine was visited in 1981 by Thakur Kulveer Singh of Bhaderwah, Jammu region. From 1987 onwards, Thakur Kulveer SIngh started 'Chhadi Yatra' (holy mace)[further explanation needed] when thousands of people visit the shrine every year during 'Chhadi Yatra', which starts from Chinote in Bhaderwah to Machail in Paddar.[1]
Location and operations
[edit]
Machail is a small village at an altitude of 2800m in the Padder Valley of Kishtwar district in Jammu region, 290 km from Jammu city and 66 km from Kishtwar.[2] Usually, people take two days to reach the shrine by foot. On the way there are villages where they can spend the night.[3]
The shrine is inaccessible during the winter months of December, January and February.[citation needed] The temple reopens in April of each year with the Baisakhi festival.[4] During the festival, the temple's idol is returned to the shrine after being kept in a priest's home over the winter.[5]
It is near a tributary of the Chenab River.[citation needed]
Annual pilgrimage
[edit]An annual 43-day-long pilgrimage to the temple is held each year from late July to early September. In 2023, nearly 2 lakh (200,000) people performed the pilgrimage,[4] while in July and August 2024, more than 1.5 lakh (150,000) pilgrims visited the temple.[6]
In 2019, the pilgrimage was suspended due to security concerns.[7] The 2020 and 2021 pilgrimages were not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2025 pilgrimage had a delayed start[8] before being suspended in August following flash floods on the route, which killed at least 65 people.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Detailed Machail Yatra History in Hindi by Sh. D R Parihar Ji". Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
- ^ Chauhan, Lalit Singh (26 December 2017). "Travelling Jammu to Paddar". Paddar.com. Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
- ^ "Machail Yatra". kishtwar.nic.in. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Machail Mata Yatra sets record with over 2 lakh devotees paying obeisance at the sacred shrine". Hindustan Times. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
- ^ "Machail Mata Temple reopens". Daily Excelsior. 14 April 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
- ^ "Kishtwar's Machail Mata Yatra records footfall of over 1.5 lakh pilgrims so far". Free Press Kashmir. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
- ^ "Jammu & Kashmir: 'Machail Mata Yatra' suspended due to security reasons". The Times of India. 3 August 2019. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
- ^ "Machail Mata Yatra to Remain Suspended from July 15–24". Kashmir Life. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
External links
[edit]- Wikimapia entry
- Singh, Shamsher (2021). "Naghui Tewhaar and Deity Worship: A Folk Festival at the Goddess Chandi Temple in Machail Village of Padar Region". In Chauhan, Abha (ed.). Understanding Culture and Society in India: A Study of Sufis, Saints and Deities in Jammu Region. Singapore: Springer. pp. 195–216. doi:10.1007/978-981-16-1598-6_10. ISBN 978-981-16-1598-6. Retrieved 15 August 2025.