Machail Mata temple is a holy place of Goddess Durga who is also known by the name of Kali or Chandi Maa. Machail Mata temple is situated at a village named as Machail in Padder which is in Kishtwar district of Jammu. The name of the temple Machail Mata has its origin from the name of the village itself.
Machail Mata Temple In Jammu | Machail Mata Yatra
Machail Mata temple is popularly known shrine of Mata Chandi, thousands of devotees visit this temple every year. The yatra to Machail Mata temple starts in the month of august every year and last for 43 days.
History Of Machail Mata Temple and How To Reach Machail Mata Temple In Jammu:
Machail Mata temple was first visited in 1981 by Thakur Kulveer Singh Ji of Bhaderwah, Jammu. Since 1987, Thakur Kulveer SIngh Ji started ‘Chhadi Yatra’ now happens every year since then. Basically, the yatra initially starts from Chinote Bhaderwah, the home village of Thakur Kulveer Singh Ji, where there’s a Chaddi of Machail Mata has been kept. Huge number of people along with Thakur Kulveer Singh Ji and pujari ji who holds the Chaddi starts the journey to Machail Mata temple barefoot while singing bhajans, beating dholaks and drums. During this journey there are a lot of beautiful landscapes, hills, glaciers and tributaries of Chenab. The procession started from Bhaderwah first reaches Pul Doda after that yatra moves towards Kishtwar crossing Thatari, and other villages and then reaches Kishtwar on the first day. The next day, Chaddi yatra resumes from Kishtwar towards Atholi Padder.
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Machail Mata temple is at high altitude of Himalayas and hence makes the weather a bit colder than usual. This temple is situated around 306 kms away from Jammu. The journey from Jammu to Batote is 120 Kms, Batote to Kishtwar 121 Kms, then Kishtwar to Atholi Padder and Atholi Padder to Gulabhgarh is total of 65 kms by road and not just finished yet, from Gulabhgarh starts the pilgrimage on foot to Machail Mata Shrine which is bearely 30 kms. Without any doubt the terrain is too tough to trek but with the grace of Mata Chandi and believes of her devotees, one feel joyous with enchanting bhajans and mantras and also with other pilgrims around and echoing ‘Jai Mata Di’, ‘Jai Chandi Mata’. The areas come across along this pilgrimage is surrounded by lush green, vibrant and salubrious greenery of pine, oaks, shrubs and herbs. The eye catching and peaceful sights of that place don’t let you come back.
Services :
Chopper Services also available for everyone from Gulabhgarh to Machail Mata temple. Any person can book ticket from Jammu and also from Gulabhgarh.
Photo Gallery :
Our Review:
We started our journey from Jammu to Machail Mata by road. When we reached Kishtwar we started our pilgrimage by road from Kishtwar to Gulabhgarh. The road journey will make you feel amazed as there’s Chenab river flowing by the sides of the road. After few hours we reached Gulabgarh and is itself a beautiful place with monasteries and people of that village walking here and there, the senery you’ll come across is very calm and pleasing. From Gulabgarh we took a helicopter ride to the shrine. It took us around 15-20 minutes to cover a journey and by foot it’ll take around 16-17 hours depending on an individual’s speed and stay. So, one must visit this temple, you will be mesmerized with the beauty you’d come across during the journey.