Machail Mata Yatra reaches Kishtwar in J-K

The holy mace of Machail Mata reached Kishtwar township of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday for the annual special prayer at the shrine, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner Angrez Singh Rana and Senior Superintendent of Police Harmeet Singh Mehta welcomed the Machail Mata Yatra the town, the officials said.

The 43-day-long Machail Mata Yatra in Kishtwar district was suspended on August 3 due to security reasons. The yatra commenced on July 25 and was scheduled to end on September 5.

Adequate security arrangements were made for the yatra.

Rana said this year only 7,500 devotees visited the deity before the government decided to suspend the yatra. Earlier, thousands of devotees from across the country used to pay their obeisance at the temple every year.

Restrictions were imposed in Jammu and Kashmir before the Centre announced its move to abrogate provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and divide the state into two Union Territories on August 5.