After two years, Mata Kheer Bhawani being celebrated in Ganderbal
After two years, Mata Kheer Bhawani being celebrated in Ganderbal
Bilal Ahmad
Press Trust of Kashmir | Ganderbal:- The annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela is being celebrated on Wednesday at the Ragnya Devi deity Shrine situated in Tullamulla village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Tullamulla shrine in addition to being the holiest shrine of the local Kashmiri Pandit community is also the symbol of centuries-old eclectic culture and brotherhood among different communities of Kashmir.
The spring inside the shrine has historic significance as locals believe that the colour of its water on the festival day forebears the events that follow till the next year.
Local Dharmarth Trust maintains the shrine complex spread over a large piece of land surrounded by springs.
The Tulmulla area of District Ganderbal wores an enthusiastic scenes as large number of devotees are being witnessed at the temple of Mata Ragnya Devi a revered goddess of Pandits to celebrate the annual festival of Kheer Bhawani.
A Pandit said that nestled in shades of mammoth Chinar trees the temple has witnessed rush of devotees for decades.
Mostly Kashmiri Pandits performing the rituals of the festival at the temple besides that Muslims were seen greeting pandits and making arrangements.
Mela is being celebrated with full enthusiasm after two years as in 2020 the mela was cancelled along with other religious festivals due to Covid-19 and last year the the administration decided to allow a limited number of devotees amid Covid protocol special prayers were held in the temple where devotees offer milk and kheer to the sacred spring with the hope that the pandemic will end soon.
A sign of communal harmony is always revisited at this temple during the historical festival which has not only remained limited to the festival but provides an opportunity for local Muslims who wait eagerly for one year to re-unite with the Pandit community who migrated from Kashmir in the early 1990s.
However, muslims were seen waiting for Pandits to warmly welcome which they were unable to do in last two years due to Covid-19.:-PTK.
