Machail chandi Mata temple is a Goddess

Durga Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around co ...

shrine popularly known as Machail Mata. It is in the village Machail of Sub Division Paddar, from where it derives its name, in Kishtwar District of

Jammu Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...

region in the

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n union territory of

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...

. It may be noted that Goddess Durga is also known by the name Kaali or

Chandi Chandi ( sa, चण्डी, ) or Chandika () is a Hindu deity. Chandika is another form of Mahadevi, similar to Durga. Chandika is a powerful form of Mahadevi who manifested to destroy evil. She is also known as ''Kaushiki'', '' Katyayan ...

. Machail mata Sthan, as the shrine is popularly known, has a landscape of unblemished beauty with hills, glaciers and tributaries of the

Chenab River The Chenab River () is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul regi ...

Paddar Paddar, also spelled Padar ( hi, pāḍar), is a Sub-District and remote valley in the Kishtwar district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It falls in the Jammu division. It consists of two tehsils namely Machail and Atholi ...

valley nearby is famous for its world-famous

sapphire Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide () with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sapphir ...

mines, and is a cool place for hiking, cannoning, and holy hot springs. The area is home to a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

community and the Thakur community who are serpent worshipers, and was merged with

Kishtwar Kishtwar is a town, municipality and administrative headquarter of the Kishtwar District in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The district was carved out of the Doda district in 2007. It is located in the Jammu division. T ...

tehsil, by Maharaja Ranbir Singh. Thousands of people visit the shrine every year mainly from Jammu region. The pilgrimage happens in August only, every year. The idols and pindi form of Chandika are famous for shaking their jewellery of their own without any wind force or any shock and also flickering their closed eyes. There are a lot of supernatural happenings that the pilgrims experience and report.

History

The shrine has a beginning of antiquity and no recorded history. The goddess appeared in such remote area in "swayambhu" form. She first appeared in the form of fire flame in village Mindhal,

Pangi Valley Pangi is a tehsil of Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India. The Pangi Valley is a beautiful and poorly developed tribal area, as well as one of the most remote areas in Himachal Pradesh state. The Pangi Valley is divided into the Saichu, Hudan Bhator ...

which is 60 km from Machail) and then in the form of Singhasan Mata (Saraswati) at village Chitto (which is 15 km from Gulabgarh). The fire later transformed into the form of Pindi. The actual shrine at Machail village is also swayambhu which has one pindi and three idols of Mahakali (Mindal), Mahalakshmi (Machail) and Mahasaraswati (Chitto Mata), which are considered to vibrate their jewellery by itself without any air or shock. The idols' eyes are closed in Dhyan mudra. Many pilgrims have experienced idols opening or flicking their eyes. The temple's history is entwined with the conquests of

Zorawar Singh Kahluria Zorawar Singh Kahluria (1784–12 December 1841) was a military general of the Dogra Rajput ruler, Gulab Singh of Jammu. He served as the governor (''wazir-e-wazarat'') of Kishtwar and extended the territories of the kingdom by conquering Lada ...

, who in 1834 sought blessings of Machelmata, before crossing the mountains and

Suru River (Indus) The Suru River is a tributary of the Indus River that flows largely through the Kargil district of Ladakh, India. The Suru Valley is coextensive with the Kargil tehsil, with the town of Kargil situated on its banks. The river enters the Skar ...

, with 5000 men for vanquishing an army of local Botis of

Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...

. He became a faithful devotee after the successful mission. The shrine was visited in 1981 by Thakur Kulveer Singh of

Bhaderwah Bhaderwah or Bhadarwah (also ''Bhaderwah Valley'') is a town, tehsil, sub-division and also additional district in the Doda district of the Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is also known as Chota Kashmir (Mini Kashmir) for its sc ...

, Jammu region. From 1987 onwards, Thakur Kulveer SIngh started 'Chhadi Yatra' (holy mace) that happens every year and thousands of people visit the shrine every year during 'Chhadi Yatra', which starts from Chinote in

to Machail in Paddar.

Location and how to Reach

Machail is a small village at an altitude of 2800m in the utmost scenic Padder Valley of Kishtwar district in Jammu region of J&K.Padder or Gulabgarh is 290 km from Jammu city and 66 km from Kishtwar. To reach the shrine, lot of travel agents arrange buses from Jammu,

Udhampur Udhampur (ˌʊd̪ʱəmpur) is a city and a municipal council in Udhampur district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters of Udhampur District. Named after Raja Udham Singh, it serves as the district capita ...

, Ramnagar, Bhaderwah. One can also hire a cab as well. It takes approximately 10 hours by road fro
Jammu to Gulabgarh
as the distance is 290 km. The Gulabgarh is the base camp. From Gulabgarh, the foot journey starts, that is 32 km. Usually people take 2 days to reach the shrine by foot. On the way there are many villages, where one can stay in the night. The chaddi takes three days to reach Machel. Many people organizes roadside 'langers' (free food points) on the way to the Gulabgarh. Devotees are welcomed at various villages with them offering free Langars at Gulabgarh, Massu, Kundhail, Chishoti, Hamori and Machail. Government of Jammu & Kashmir also arranges basic amenities for the pilgrims. The shrine is inaccessible during the winter months of December, January and February. Other mean of reaching the shrine is by helicopter from Jammu and Gulabgarh. The helipad is only 100 meters from the shrine. But if someone goes by helicopter, he will be missing many scenic beauties of the nature. Helicopter takes at least 7-8min to reach the Mata's darwar.

Highways

-Atholi-Machail-

Zanskar Zanskar, Zahar (locally) or Zangskar, is a tehsil of Kargil district, in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. The administrative centre is Padum (former Capital of Zanskar). Zanskar, together with the neighboring region of Ladakh, was brief ...

Kargil Kargil ( lbj, ) is a city and a joint capital of the union territory of Ladakh, India. It is also the headquarters of the Kargil district. It is the second-largest city in Ladakh after Leh. Kargil is located to the east of Srinagar in Ja ...

highway via Hagshu La tunnel will be constructed, see Hagshu tunnel route. Meanwhile Kishtwar to Machail Mata road has been a completed under PMGSY scheme.Atholi-Machail-Zanskar Road Why it is important
Daily Exce 8 Jan 2023.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Wiki Map and Directions of the Shrine
Hindu pilgrimage sites in India Hindu temples in Jammu and Kashmir