E-Paper
Recent targeted killings in Kashmir cast shadow over annual Kheer Bhawani mela
Amid tight security, hundreds of pilgrims paid obeisance at Ragnya Devi temple here in Ganderbal on Wednesday for annual Kheer Bhawani mela with recent targeted killings in Kashmir casting a shadow over festivities
Amid tight security, hundreds of pilgrims paid obeisance at the famous Ragnya Devi temple here in Ganderbal on Wednesday for the annual Kheer Bhawani mela with the recent targeted killings in the Valley casting a shadow over the festivities.
The temple was all decked up, many local Muslims had also put up their stalls and the security was huge but the pilgrims were a few. Many eyes eagerly waiting for the ardent devotees returned sorrowfully as the day progressed.
In the backdrop of recent targeted killings, a smaller number of pilgrims on Wednesday visited the temple, representing Hindu goddess Ragnya Devi in Tulmulla, some 24 km from Srinagar. This annual mela of Kheer Bhawani otherwise used to be the biggest Hindu festival in Jammu and Kashmir after the Amarnath Yatra in recent years.
Amid tight security arrangements, while a few Kashmiri Pandits and Hindus visited the temple, many Kashmiri Pandits, especially the migrant Pandit employees stayed away. Even the stalls selling flowers, candles and milk mostly set up by local Muslims had very few customers today.
“Compared to the past, very few people came for darshan today. I used to sell items worth ₹70,000 to ₹80,000 on the day of the mela. Today, I have just sold items for ₹5,000,” said Popinder Singh, who had come from south Kashmir’s Tral and set up a kiosk at the main entrance of the temple. “Thousands of people, especially Kashmiri Pandits who have migrated to Jammu, used to visit Tulmulla. Today only a few hundred came and many left after the darshan,” he said.
With the migration of the majority of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley during militancy in 1990, the temple of Kheer Bhawani was taken care of by local Muslims. Since 2008, with conditions in the Valley improving, the temple has seen a revival with thousands of devotees, especially migrant Pandits, thronging the temple every year. The temple represents the Hindu goddess, Ragnya Devi in Tulmulla village of Ganderbal, 27 km from Srinagar.
“The fear of targeted killings was the reason why only a few hundred Kashmiri Pandits visited the temple today,” said Nanajee Pandita from Srinagar. He said being a member of the Amarnath shrine board, he knew people were scared to visit the temple today. Only 20 buses came from Jammu and most of these buses had few pilgrims.”
Mohit Kandu who is a senior government official in the power development department had come along with his 75-year-old mother for darshan. “My mother wanted to visit the temple today. I brought her on the wheelchair and after prayers inside the temple we are leaving for the city,” he said.
After the Covid, the locals were hopeful of the good arrival of pilgrims today. “It’s sad to see very few Kashmiri Pandits visiting the temple today,” said Wali Mohammad, a local from Ganderbal. “Even the migrants living in transit camps didn’t visit the temple. Though some tourists and secretariat employees came for the darshan,” he said.
Outside the temple, the government had made extraordinary security arrangements. Dozens of bulletproof security vehicles were placed on the temple premises and people were only allowed to enter after proper frisking.
However, due to the ongoing agitation of Kashmiri Pandits after the killing of government employees, many had suggested Kashmiri Pandits to stay away from the annual pilgrimage.
“It’s a call from the general masses of Kashmiri Pandits community living in Jammu and different parts of the country to show resentment against the killing of innocent civilians and in favour of demands of relocating Pandit employees to safer locations out of the Kashmir division till security scenario improves in Kashmir,” said Sandeep Kumar, a migrant employee who lives at Shiekhpora transit camp. Another native Pandit, Anil Kumar said he visited the temple for a brief time. “A majority of Pandits didn’t come here for darshan due to the ongoing tussle between the administration and the Pandits,” he said.
Many mainstream politicians visited the temple and locals had set up welcome banners for pilgrims.
“We wholeheartedly welcomed Mata Kheer Bhawani pilgrims at Tullmullah, Ganderbal. A message of love and brotherhood is what we need to promote in order to fill the gap between the two communities of Kashmir. We are blessed to host you at Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela,” said Farooq Ganderbali, president, Voice for Peace & Justice.
