Ganderbal: Amid tight security, the Kashmiri Pandit community celebrated their annual holy festival, Jyeshtha Ashtami at Mata Kheer Bhawani temple on Wednesday in Tullamulla village of central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also greeted Kashmiri Pandits on the occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami.
"Greetings to everyone, especially my Kashmiri Pandit sisters and brothers on Jyeshtha Ashtami. We pray to Mata Kheer Bhawani for everyone's well-being and prosperity," he tweeted.
J&K LG Manoj Sinha also greeted the cohort, saying that the auspicious occasion is a celebration of righteous living, love, compassion and harmony. It holds immense religious and cultural importance for the people of the UT, especially Kashmiri Pandit community.
"Let us pray to Mata Kheer Bhawani to guide us on the path of righteousness and bless our land with peace, happiness and prosperity," Lt Governor said.
The Tullamulla shrine is the holiest shrine for Kashmiri Pandit community and the spring inside the shrine has historical significance.
Locals believe that the colour of its water on the festival day forebears the events that follow till the next year.
The Tulmulla area of district Ganderbal witnessed enthusiastic scenes as large number of devotees arrived at the temple of Mata Ragnya Devi.
A KP devotee said that due to COVID19, the festival is celebrated after two years.
“We urge KPs to come to this temple and enjoy the spiritual feeling here,” he said.
Tourists were also seen paying obeisance at the temple.
A group of tourists from Maharashtra said that they have seen Kheer Bhawani shrine for the first time and are feeling so happy.
“There is a solace and we feel enchanted over seeing Muslims and Pandits celebrating the Mela together,” said Meenakshi, a tourist.
As per reports, the number of devotees were seen less in number, however, BJP’s General Secretary Organisation (J&K) Ashok Koul who visited the shine told reporters that there was nothing like less rush.
“Devotees are coming and by afternoon the temple premises will be jam-packed,” he said.
Mostly Kashmiri Pandits were seen performing the rituals of the festival at the temple besides that Muslims were seen greeting pandits and making arrangements.
A sign of communal harmony is always revisited at this temple during the historical festival which provides an opportunity to local Muslims who wait eagerly to re-unite with the Pandit community who migrated from Kashmir in the early 1990s.
(With Inputs From KNO)