Mela Kheer Bhawani: Where the two meet

While the security agencies were on their toes on Monday toensure that the Mela Kheer Bhawani went off peacefully, Muslim residents ofTulmulla, and surrounding areas of the Kheer Bhawani temple in Ganderbaldistrict again set an example of religious amity. They displayed religiousharmony by taking part in the mela, ensuring that the Kashmiri panditscelebrate the occasion with fervour. In fact, the harmony and the brotherhoodin the locality, where  Muslim and Hindufamilies live, is very old and established. Mela Kheer Bhawani, one of theimportant festivals of Kashmiri Pandits, was celebrated with religious fervourand gaiety at Tulmulla in central Kashmir’s ganderbal district on 10th of June,Monday.

Thousands of Kashmiri Pandit devotees, particularly themigrated Kashmiri Pandits, thronged the famous Kheer Bhawani temple associatedwith the Ragnya Devi, a revered goddess of Kashmiri Pandits, located inTulmulla village of Ganderbal district to attend the annual mela. The devoteesheld the night-long prayers to seek the blessings of the Mata Kheer Bhawani andprayed for peace and prosperity of the state. Keeping the faith alive thousandsof pandit devotees had come all the way from different parts of the state andoutside the state to paying obeisance.

   

The term Kheer refers to rice pudding that is offered in thespring to propitiate the Goddess, which became part of the name of this reveredtemple. There is also a spring flowing beneath the temple which according tothe belief reflects the future of the valley through the changing colours ofits water.

The annual festival is held here on ‘Jeshtha Ashtami’ whenpilgrims seek the blessings of the deity. According to belief, the goddesschanges the colour of the spring’s waters, which are ascribed to differentmanifestations of the goddess. Turning of the colour into shades of black issupposed to signal approaching disaster while as the milky colour of the springindicates the peace and prosperity for the state.

Walking barefoot, the devotees carried rose petals andoffered tribute to the goddess as men took a dip in a nearby stream close tothe shrine, which according to the devotees washes their sins.

Meanwhile, the decade long tradition of Hindu-Muslimbonhomie in Kashmir was visible during the festival, where Kashmiri Panditspraised the hospitality exhibited by the Muslim community.

It was an unusual event in the area, which is celebratedwith the participation of many local residents providing essentials to thepilgrims. The festival is incomplete without the participation of local Muslimswho set an example of brotherhood and amity in Kashmir. The devotees were givena warm welcome by the local Muslims even offering accommodation. The panditdevotees were all praise for the hospitality and brotherhood shown by the localMuslims of the area.

The Muslims of the locality at Tulmulla who greet thevisiting devotees with water, milk, tea, coffee and the cold drinks seem to beequally enthusiastic about the celebration. Many Muslims had established stallsoutside the temple premises where they had made the Prasad (Nuts, Sweets andother eatables as a holy gift) to the devotees. Some social groups based in thetents provide free water and other eatables to the guests.

With tears in eyes and roses in hands as a symbol of love,these displaced Pandits folded their hands and prostrated before Mata KheerBhawani with the motive of seeking her blessings.

Irfan Raina is Correspondent, Greater Kashmir.

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