Confluence of Buddhas and Hindus faith "Machail Yatra"

I can still feel the energy of this place

"The Machail Goddess" journey begins in August every year. The Machail temple is dedicated to Hindu Goddess Durga and is located in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir State, North India, it has an elevation of 2958 meters. It is impossible to explain the beauty of "Padar valley", which is nursing in lap of "Chenab river". On one side this valley is famous for sapphire mines, while there is no breakthrough of the wildly beautiful tracks.

View from Gulabgarh

Thanks and best wishes to Arun Jasrotia who recently completed the Machail Goddess trek. On another occasion, another thank you for sending us your own travelogue. I am happy to publish this trip with my steemian friends, "Jai Maa Bhagwati"

In Arun Jasrotia words :-
Like every year, this time also I have to go to "Machail Goddess Temple" and whenever I want to go on any trek, the first name that comes to mind is "Babbal". He is with me for the last 6 years, my business partner, my younger brother.

'Bubble's Fear' .... Once I was about to leave of "Chadar Trek". Other friend was waiting in Faridabad, Flight to 'Leh' was about to fly, and I was waiting for the train to reach Delhi. "Bubble" did the same thing what I feared, my train got off, and 'Baba' had to trek alone of Chadar trek. I got many lanes from Babaji.

The second time I had make plan to Shimla with my another friend, name "Amit Mathur". Amit was waiting for me at Chandigarh and I was packing my stuff in my bag. The big passion was to roam in the hills of Shimla, tracking, photographing and camping at famous "Hatu Peak". Once again I had to come back from Pathankot railway station due to the Bubble.

Many such plans has been destroyed by "Bubble" Maharaj. "Bubble" is undoubtedly my friend, but in such a situation, he becomes Bhasmasur (One who destroys everything), But my love is true for mountains. I am not a mountain conquer, I am a person who respects mountains and dying for them, for their love and compassion.

Journey starts at 03:25 (01 September 2018), to "Machail Temple". This time my partner is "Bhanu Pratap Singh", he had also been a fellow trekker with me at Chadar Trek. He does not ask many questions like Babbal, When I say to him "lets go for a trek", He always reply "At what time?". We reached "Gulabgarh" in almost nine hours. Gulabgarh is the base camp of "Machail Temple Trek". 9 hours long drive without brakes No food, no drink and no urine break.

There was a slight fear in the mind as 8-10 days ago there were 2 major road accidents, in which 15-20 people died. The whole mountain itself fell on the bus and a car fell down 300 feet below into the Chenab river.

12:30 pm We reached Gulabgarh, Machail from Gulabgarh about 35 km far from one side . 7 km trek has been reduce by cutting the mountains, So now the trek is only 28 km long. There are 2 ways to reach Machail Temple, first by foot 28 km. It will take at least 3 days, second option is helicopter which will take you to the temple off in just "seven minutes". We got only one day leave so this time we can not trek up to the temple hence after long discussion we chose second way and in just a few minutes, heli tickets were in our hands. It is INR 2200 per person ticket in heli. Well received a ticket at 12:30 pm and due to long waiting our turn came on 03:46 pm.

At noon 03:54 we reached the goddess door and all the suffering and pain has turned into satisfaction. I have come here many times before and every time this place fills me with newness. Machail village is about 95 km from Kishtwar and 30 km from Gulabgarh. Located in the lap of Nature in distant of "Bhurj" and "Bhot" water stream. The entrance to the temple is lying with the artistic scenes of "Sagar Manthan".

One can reach Zanskar by climbing this mountain which is showing is photo in the middle

We were super hungry since morning but it was not the time to eat, First I have to roam around to get some information about "Kishtwar to Padum trek". Information like, "When we can go?", any local guide could be found or not etc?. We left to "Hongu village" which is 2 km from Machail temple, there is a "Buddhisht Gompa".

On the way towards Gompa, met "Prem Singh", who was cutting grass for his animals. When I heard his story it had already been passed 10-15 minutes. He told that "I was born in 1945. There were firing everywhere in the 1962 China war. At that time the army also taught me to operate grenade for villagers safety".

He further said that "Most vegetables we grow here, except those who are not grow here, we buy them from the shop". Prem Singh was looking like a shepherd by clothes. He is a hard-working and responsible person, by the use of little saving he sent his boys out for study. One of his boys is in Singapore and the other is Dubai.

Finally we have reached at temple

It was a little further that on the way I met "Tashi", I talked with her: -
Me: Julley (Greetings)
Tashi: Julley
Me: What is your name?
Tashi: Tashi
(I was confused that this lady is a Buddhist or a Hindu?, dressed like Hindu and by name she is Buddhist)
So I asked the same question to her.
Tashi: I work in Jammu.
Me: What kind of work you do in Jammu?
Tashi: Cosmetic, There was a boy of "Doda District", I fell in love with him and we got married but our families are standing against us because in my family love marriage is not allowed.
Tashi: I am a Buddhist, I got married with Hindu guy so now I became Hindu too.
After giving her best wishes to her marriage, I moved further.

Soon we completed Gompa's circuit. It was 6 o'clock in the evening and we decided to go back to temple. We were talking about getting some food over here. If there is around 10-15 Buddhists home then definitely we could get tea. A 65-70-year-old elderly woman suddenly came outside from her house. I asked, "Is it possible to get tea?" She Smiled and said, "Why not, come inside".

Lady: Which tea will you take cold or warm?
Me: Normal Tea
Lady: Lipton tea?
Me: Hmm ... Hot Lipton
Lady: ohh
Me: Is it not available?
Lady: I have local wine which is made by Barley, shall I bring it for you guys?.
Me: Bhanu and me were looking each other after getting wine offer. We denied to drink wine because we were on Holy journey of Machail Temple.
Lady: Everyone drinks here, you also drink, only bottle of INR 100.

We talked about "Machail to Zanskar trek", then the Old Lady told me I have already been trekked this route 3-4 times when I was young. Now I have become old but still I can go there.

According to the information received, there are 2 ways to reach Padum (Zanskar) from Machail temple, the first is via Umasila Pass (5330 meter) and he second way via Glacier from where no one will come back. There are 2 more ways, but I did not know anything about them yet.

After coming back to the temple, worshipped the touched my forehead on temples steps in respect. I turned and saw "Machail temple" again, it was like Mother Machail is blessing me.

"Next year I will come again".

Machail Mata Temple, Jai Maa Bhagwati

Statue of Goddess Durga, Jay Maa Bhagwati

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