Ganderbal, May 26: While the government and security services work hard to prepare for the Mela Kheer Bhawani, local Muslims in Tulmulla and the surrounding regions around the Kheer Bhawani temple in Ganderbal district are delighted to welcome the Kashmir Pandits.
Mela Kheer Bhawani, one of the most prominent Kashmiri Pandit celebrations, will be held in Tulmulla on Sunday, May 28.
The Kheer Bhawani temple in Tullmulla is not only the holiest shrine of the local Kashmiri Pandit population, but it is also a symbol of centuries-old syncretic culture and fraternity.
The annual mela is well-known for its show of Hindu-Muslim harmony, with local Muslims providing provisions for worship by their Kashmiri Pandit brothers every year.
They set up shops outside the temple and cook Kheer (pudding) for the worshippers.
Devotees utilise it while praying to the god at a spring near the temple.
The bulk of the local populace is now prepared to welcome the devotees, many of whom lived in the same area prior to their relocation in the early 1990s.
The mela sees the reunification of the two villages.
Thousands of Kashmiri Pandit worshippers, notably displaced Kashmiri Pandits, frequent the Kheer Bhawani temple, which houses the idol of Ragnya Devi, a cherished deity of Kashmiri Pandits.
The yearly celebration is conducted on ‘Jeshtha Ashtami’, when worshippers seek the deity’s blessings.
Devotees say that the goddess alters the hue of the spring’s water, which is attributed to various appearances of the deity.
The coloration changing to shades of black is said to foreshadow impending calamity, whilst the milky tone of spring promises calm and prosperity.
Meanwhile, the government said that all festival preparations had been completed.
Ganderbal Shyambir, Deputy Commissioner (DC), informed Greater Kashmir that all plans had been completed.
He said that a big number of devotees were anticipated to visit the Kheer Bhawani temple, for which sufficient transportation, health, lodging, and other facilities had been established.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Police of Rural Kashmir devised a route plan for cars travelling to the Kheer Bhawani temple.
“In order to ensure hassle-free movement of vehicular traffic during the celebration of Jeeshta Ashtami Kheer Bhawani temple, all Tulmulla-bound vehicular traffic should take the Pandach-Beehama-Tawheed Chowk-Dhombkadal-Police Lines-Tulmulla (Kheer Bhawani temple)-Central University of Kashmir General Parking route, while the departure should be from Central University General Parking-Barso
Ganderbal Mehrajuddin Raina, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic Rural, informed Greater Kashmir that plans had been made to ensure the smooth passage of commuters in general and worshippers to the Kheer Bhawani shrine in particular.
“All commuters and the general public, particularly those living in the vicinity of the shrine and surrounding areas, are requested to cooperate with traffic officials and adhere to the traffic plan as envisaged to ensure hassle-free movement,” he added.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also visited the Kheer Bhawani temple on Thursday to assess the facilities and plans for the annual Mela Kheer Bhawani.
