Hymns and bhajans reverberated at Tulmulla as thousands of devotees, mostly Kashmiri Pandits, on Sunday converged to take part in prayers and celebrations during the annual fair at the Mata Kheer Bhawani temple ringed by Chinar trees in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.
The atmosphere was festive, with Muslims welcoming and facilitating Hindu pilgrims participating in the prayers and pujas. Kheer Bhawani houses the Hindu goddess Ragnya Devi at Tulmulla village in Ganderbal, about 27-km away from Srinagar.
The biggest Hindu festival to be celebrated in the Valley second only to the Amarnath yatra, the fair draws Kashmiri Pandits from across the country, particularly those who migrated from Jammu.
This year’s congregation at Tulmulla is the biggest since 2020, when Covid-19 hit.
“A large number of people have come this year. So far, the number is 33,000 and is expected to increase. Post Covid, this is the biggest congregation,” Ganderbal deputy commissioner Shyambir said.
Devotees began arriving in the town from Friday, with some even protesting against alleged deficiency in the arrangements on Saturday.
Speaking of the same, the DC said, “All the arrangements are in place including food, boarding and lodging. The security is also in place. Local Muslims have also opened their homes for the devotees.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking of the same, the DC said, “All the arrangements are in place including food, boarding and lodging. The security is also in place. Local Muslims have also opened their homes for the devotees.”
{{/usCountry}}Pradeep Koul, 64, who retired as headmaster from Jammu, is visiting with his family. “The atmosphere is great. It reminds us of our past. I have been coming here since childhood before the exodus. I am seeing the same zeal among people. There is a lot of excitement,” Koul said.
He and his family migrated from Srinagar to Jammu in the 1990s.
“I was born in Srinagar, got my education here. We migrated in the 90s, but would return for the Kheer Bhawani mela. We could not come for the past few years amid Covid,” he said.
A bridge like no other
Noting that the fair comes as an opportunity for both Hindu and Muslim communities to bridge their gap, he said “We have to take the initiative ourselves and politicians can then support us.”
“We pray for the return of the olden days, when we lived simple lives of peace and brotherhood. The brotherhood will always remain in our hearts. I think there was a calamity in both communities and both have suffered. Let us hope and pray that we regain this paradise again,” he said.
Local Kashmiri Muslims took care of the Kheer Bhawani shrine after the exodus of a majority of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley during the first wave of militancy in early 1990s. The temple has attracted more devotees since 2008, as the militancy waned. Muslims make arrangements like installing stalls of flowers and other Puja items to facilitate the visiting pilgrims.
For Koul, there can be no other Tulmulla. “It can’t be replaced. We are feeling emotional. I have taught people here. They come here and express a lot of happiness. Most of them are Muslims students,” he said.
He said the elderly won’t have any problem relocating back if things are conducive, but it will not be as easy for the new generation. “People like us will come, no questions asked. It is our birth place. The new generation will be a bit reluctant. They have not seen the brotherhood and the times we lived in. And then the negative things here do make an impact,” he said.
Notably, There have been a series of targeted killings by suspected militants of the pandits including migrant PM package employees and non-local migrant workers in Kashmir last year. Nine Kashmiri Pandits - one in 2020 and four each in 2021 and 2022 – have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir since 2020, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) informed Parliament in December last year.
Another devotee visiting Tulmulla said the crowd this year was unexpected. “The people are very enthusiastic. Although the situation was bad post Covid, a large number of people have turned up,” she said.
Hoping for peace in the region, she said, “I have been coming here for the past 10 years and we want to come here again and again.”
People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti was among those attending the festivities at Tulmulla. After paying obeisance, she described Kashmiri Pandits as “an important segment of Kashmiri ethos, without which the very concept of Kashmiriyat is incomplete”.
“(I was) delighted to participate in Zyeshth Ashtami festivities at Tulmulla. It was reassuring to get a glimpse of Muslims & Pandits bonding. This is Kashmiriyat woven to the idea of India, in stark contrast to the blatant disregard for the constitution in ‘temple of democracy today’,” she said.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha extended greetings to the people on the occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami.
“Heartiest greetings to the people, especially to sisters and brothers from Kashmiri Pandit community…The congregation of devotees from across the world at Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple to pay obeisance and the festivity symbolises our rich spiritual and cultural heritage and an inspiration for living a virtuous life,” the LG said.