Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits and devotees today visited the Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple on the auspicious occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami here at Tullamulla Ganderbal. Every year, on this auspicious day, Kheer Bhavani Mela is organized at Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple in Tulmulla, Ganderbal and devotees from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir visit the holy shrine here.
Kheer Bhawani is considered to be the deity of Kashmiri Pandits, who have a lot of recognition there. Over the years, the Kheer Bhawani Mela has become a symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood in Kashmir.
The religious sanctity of Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple, built atop a holy spring, has a special spiritual significance among Kashmiri Pandit devotees across the world. The Tulmulla area of district Ganderbal witnessed enthusiastic scenes as a large number of devotees arrived here who paid obeisance and prayed for the entire humanity. Earlier of the day, the Deputy Commissioner inspected the arrangements and enquired about the facilities being provided to the devotees. Full attention was given to ensure that devotees do not face any issue.
Mostly Kashmiri Pandits were seen performing the rituals of the festival at the temple besides that Muslims were seen greeting pandits and making arrangements.
Pertinently, the District Administration had made necessary arrangements for uninterrupted power and drinking water supplies, transport, security, fire tenders, ration, bedding, medical camps, and medical facilities at the temple besides free transport facility was also made for the devotees on various routes.
Several NGOs and civil society had also made arrangements to provide wheelchairs and other aids for the convenience of the devotees during the mela.
