More than 9,000 pilgrims, mainly Kashmiri Pandits, have departed from Jammu for the annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The pilgrimage was flagged off in Jammu by MLA Devyani Rana, DIG Shridhar Patil, and other senior officials. The pilgrims are being transported to the Kashmir Valley in about 200 Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation buses with tight security measures in place.
This year, there is a notable increase in participation, and authorities anticipate a large gathering at the Kheer Bhawani Mela, a significant religious event for the Kashmiri Pandit community. The festival takes place annually on Jyeshtha Ashtami at the Mata Ragnya Devi Temple in Tulmul village of Ganderbal district. This shrine, dedicated to Mata Ragnya Devi, is situated near a sacred spring and is considered a highly revered place of worship for Kashmiri Pandits.
The celebration, observed as the goddess’s birthday, attracts devotees from various parts of the country and even from overseas. Pilgrims offer kheer (rice pudding) and milk to the deity. A prevalent belief linked to the shrine is that the water of the sacred spring changes color, reflecting the goddess’s blessings or displeasure.
The mela, held annually on the Ashtami of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Jyeshtha, symbolizes Hindu-Muslim unity, communal harmony, and peace. Local Kashmiri Muslims traditionally welcome devotees and assist in organizing milk, flowers, and other necessities for the rituals.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of Jammu and Kashmir have visited the shrine to oversee arrangements and ensure all essential facilities for the pilgrims. For the Kashmiri Pandit community, this annual mela is more than just a religious gathering. It serves as an opportunity to reconnect with their history, culture, traditions, and Kashmiri roots, from where many were displaced during the turmoil of the early 1990s.
