Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits gather at Mata Kheer Bhawani temple for annual mela

Mata Kheer Bhawani temple, as popularly known, is actually the shrine of Goddess Ragnya, believed to be the reincarnation of Goddess Durga

Srinagar: Keeping their tryst with the community’s patron deity, hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits from different parts of the country arrived on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tullamulla town, where the temple shrine of Mata Kheer Bhawani is situated, 27 km from Srinagar city in Ganderbal district.

Mata Kheer Bhawani temple, as popularly known, is actually the shrine of Goddess Ragnya, believed to be the reincarnation of Goddess Durga.

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Legend says that the King of Lanka, Ravana, was a devout disciple of Mata Ragnya, but the Goddess, annoyed with the lifestyle of the King, ordered Hanuman to shift her seat to a far-off place.

Thus, the temple shrine of the Goddess came to be situated in Tullamulla town. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is situated in the centre of a holy spring, which is believed to be highly auspicious by the Kashmiri Pandit community.

The colour of the spring water at the deity’s seat is believed to foretell future events. Pink or milky colour is believed to be propitious. Black colour spells disaster. Elders in Tullamulla town say that in 1947, when Pakistani tribal raiders invaded Kashmir, the water of the spring turned black.

Each year, on Zyestha Ashtami, the annual festival of the Goddess is celebrated at the Tullamulla temple shrine. ‘Kheer’ (Pudding made by boiling milk, sugar and rice) is prepared and served by the devotees during the festival, hence the name, Mata Kheer Bhawani.

After the exodus of the local Pandit community from the Valley when armed violence started here, migrant Kashmiri Pandits settled at different places in the country. But they come to pay obeisance at the deity’s temple on the annual festival.

For the entire night, devotees offer prayers at the temple shrine seeking the blessings of their patron deity.

Authorities have made adequate arrangements for security, sanitation, healthcare and public assistance at the temple shrine. Heavy deployment of police and security forces has been made along the route taken by the devotees to reach Tullamulla.

Speaking of their devotion for the Goddess and love for their native land, Mahraj Krishen Bhat, 65, said, “Wherever a Kashmiri Pandit might be located, he/she belongs to Kashmir and Mata Kheer Bhawani is our protector and guide”.

A woman devotee, Sarla Razdan, 52, said, “We will come back to our native land, whether it happens tomorrow or the day after. And for returning to our roots, we do not need guidance from politicians who have used our community to sharpen their political knives. We have survived migration, and we will also see return and rehabilitation. Being away from our ancestral place makes us feel very bad, but we are sure that the dark clouds will move away and the traditional brotherhood between communities for which Kashmir has been famous will outlive violence and mistrust.”

Despite over 35 years since the Kashmiri Pandit community migrated out of the Valley, Muslims at Tullamulla town have been offering milk in earthen pots at each annual festival to the Pandit devotees.