Machail Mata Yatra Postponed Due to Bad Weather in Jammu and Kashmir
Postponement of Machail Mata Yatra
Jammu, July 25 – The annual Machail Mata Yatra in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir has been delayed for three days due to adverse weather conditions. An official announced on Saturday that the pilgrimage is now set to commence on July 28, contingent upon favorable weather.
The journey to the Machail Mata temple, located at an elevation of 9,705 feet in the picturesque Padder Valley, spans 304.7 kilometers starting from Jammu. Pilgrims typically cover most of this distance by road, with the final 1.7 kilometers requiring a trek on foot.
To ensure a safe and smooth pilgrimage, the district administration has decided that devotees will only be allowed to travel between 5 AM and 5 PM. Furthermore, a maximum of 8,000 pilgrims will be permitted each day.
These decisions were made during a meeting chaired by Kishtwar's Deputy Commissioner, Pankaj Kumar Sharma. He stated that registration for the yatra is now mandatory and fully online. Additionally, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system has been implemented to monitor the movement of pilgrims.
A tragic incident occurred in Chisoti village, considered the gateway to the Machail Mata temple, on August 14, 2025, when a cloudburst resulted in the deaths of 63 individuals, most of whom were pilgrims. Many others were injured, and around 30 people went missing during the disaster.
The Deputy Commissioner mentioned that, in accordance with religious traditions, the temple's sacred doors will be opened on July 25. On this occasion, priests and locals will perform traditional religious rituals. If the weather conditions are favorable after assessing the situation, the yatra will begin on July 28.
He urged all pilgrims to complete their registration before embarking on the journey. For the convenience of devotees, two RFID registration centers have been established at the Gauri Shankar temple base camp in Sarkoot, Kishtwar, along with approximately six registration centers in Gulabgarh.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Naresh Singh stated that to ensure the safety of pilgrims along the route, police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), army personnel, and special police posts have been deployed. He urged pilgrims to carefully read and strictly adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs), comply with the designated travel times, and cooperate fully with the administration.