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The annual Machail Mata pilgrimage witnessed a record-breaking footfall this 12 months with almost 2 lakh pilgrims paying obeisance on the Himalayan temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, officers mentioned on Monday. Through the years, the 43-day pilgrimage, rooted in decades-old custom, has instilled deep religion in devotees travelling to hunt the blessings of Mata Chandi Devi on the 9,705-foot excessive shrine, they added. The Shree Machail Mata Yatra has skilled a outstanding surge in attendance this 12 months, with a staggering enhance from round 58,000 arrivals in 2022 to 1.94 lakh this 12 months, an official spokesperson mentioned.
“This meteoric rise will be attributed to a myriad of things, primarily the foolproof preparations, augmentation of boarding amenities by the administration, coupled with the seamless execution of the pilgrimage’s schedule,” the spokesperson mentioned. “The Yatra’s new-found recognition and its outstanding progress in turnover underline the enduring non secular significance it holds for numerous devotees, drawing them in growing numbers,” he added.
The doorways of the Himalayan temple are yearly opened on the auspicious Baisakhi competition in April. The Shree Machail Mata Yatra commenced formally on July 25, witnessing a considerable inflow of devotees proper from the outset, the official mentioned. One of many notable accomplishments was the supply of lodging on the Yatri Bhawan in Gulabgarh, able to internet hosting 2,000 pilgrims concurrently, he added.
A tent metropolis surrounding the temple and native homestays grew to become a big attraction this 12 months, beckoning pilgrims with open arms. Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Devansh Yadav oversaw the preparations, guaranteeing seamless coordination with native, civil and police administrations in addition to different departments, military personnel, and groups of the Border Raod Organisation, the official mentioned.
This complete strategy catered to the wants of the Yatris whereas unlocking the area’s tourism potential as nicely, he added. The Machail Yatra of 2023 would conclude on September 5, officers mentioned.