Machail Mata Yatra

Context : A flash flood triggered by a cloud-burst hit Chositi, a remote village in Kishtwar in the Chenab Valley of the Jammu division Chositi falls on the route of Machail Yatra and is 8.5 km away from the shrine. The pilgrimage has become popular over the last few years without more people coming for yatra than before.

UPSC Relevance:

Festivals, Pilgrimages have been asked in UPSC Prelims multiple times.

PYQ:

2017 Prelims 

Consider the following pairs: 

Traditions : Communities

1. Chaliha Sahib Festival : Sindhis

2. Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra : Gonds

3. Wari-Warkari : Santhals

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

a) 1 only

b) 2 &3 only

c) 1 & 3 only

d) None of the above

Machail Mata Yatra

• Machail Mata Yatra is an annual pilgrimage to the high-altitude Himalayan shrine of Mata Chandi, a manifestation of Goddess Durga, located in the village Machail in Paddar, Kishtwar district of Jammu region, India.
• The Yatra is considered the 2nd most famous pilgrimage in the Jammu division after Vaishno Devi.
• The pilgrimage has a close association with the local communities including the Bhot and Thakur communities of the region.
• The Yatra period typically lasts for 43 days, usually starting on July 25 and concluding on September 5.
• Thousands of devotees from all over the country participate, trekking a challenging route of approximately 30 to 32 kilometers from the base camp at Gulabgarh to Machail Mata temple.
• The temple and the surrounding Paddar valley are known for their natural beauty, including hills, glaciers, tributaries of the Chenab River, forests of pine, deodar, oak, medicinal herbs, and a scenic landscape.
• The shrine has deep historical and mythological significance. According to legend, Goddess Chandi appeared in Machail in the form of a shila (stone) after coming from her ancient abode in Mindhal Battas, Himachal Pradesh, to bless the local people.
• The Yatra carries social messages from the Goddess encouraging devotees to renounce social evils like smoking, drinking, and abuse for overall welfare.
• The Yatra was reportedly popularized in its current form in 1987 by Thakur Kulveer Singh of Bhaderwah, who initiated the ‘Chhadi Yatra’ procession from Chinote, Bhaderwah to Machail.
• The pilgrimage is inaccessible during winter months (December to February) due to snowfall.

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