In view of COVID pandemic, Jammu and Kashmir administration has cancelled the annual Machail Mata pilgrimage in Kishtwar district of the Union Territory, officials said here on Saturday.As large numbers of religious congregations are not allowed as per guidelines and SOPs in view of the Corona pandemic, the Machail Yatra has been cancelled, official sources said here.They said that earlier there was a plan to allow the pilgrimage but as COVID pandemic is not yet settled and the ‘Third Wave’ speculations are still doing the rounds, so keeping in view all aspects, finally the yatra has been cancelled.Only traditional prayers and ‘hawana’ will be performed as per rituals, they said. Last year also, the yatra was cancelled due to the pandemic and only Charri with a limited number of devotees was allowed to visit the Mata Machail Temple.
