Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits from across the country arrived on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tulmulla town, located in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, to mark the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela.
The Mata Kheer Bhawani temple is dedicated to Goddess Ragnya, believed to be a reincarnation of Goddess Durga.
According to legend, the King of Lanka, Ravana, was a devout follower of Mata Ragnya. However, the Goddess, displeased with the King’s lifestyle, instructed Hanuman to relocate her seat to a distant place. As a result, the temple shrine of the Goddess came to be situated in Tulmulla, Jammu and Kashmir.
The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is located at the centre of a sacred spring, which is regarded as highly auspicious by the Kashmiri Pandit community. The colour of the spring water at the deity’s seat is said to predict future events.
A pink or milky hue is considered propitious, while the appearance of black is believed to signify disaster or misfortune.
According to elders in Tulmulla, the water had turned black prior to the first war between India and Pakistan in 1947.
Each year on Zyestha Ashtami, the annual festival of the Goddess is celebrated at the Tullamulla temple shrine. ‘Kheer’—a pudding made by boiling milk, sugar, and rice—is prepared and offered by devotees during the festival, giving the deity the name Mata Kheer Bhawani.
Despite the exodus of local Kashmiri Pandits during the onset of militancy in the early 1990s, with many settling in various parts of the country, their deep devotion draws them back each year to pay homage at the deity’s shrine.
The celebrations begin with night-long prayers offered by devotees at the temple, as they seek blessings from their patron deity.
Authorities have made comprehensive arrangements for security, sanitation, healthcare, and public assistance at the site. A heavy deployment of police and security forces has also been ensured along the route taken by the pilgrims to reach Tullamulla.
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