Hundreds Of Kashmiri Pandits Gather At Annual J&K Mela Under Tight Security

Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits have gathered at Tulmulla in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district to participate in the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela, an age-old festival symbolising Kashmir's rich cultural and spiritual heritage.

Despite a weather advisory and security concerns after the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, faith has brought the Kashmiri pandits back to their roots for the annual reunion that follows over three decades of separation and displacement.

After the outbreak of terrorist attacks in 1990, thousands of Pandit families had migrated from the Valley to Jammu and other parts of the country. Official records show over 64,000 Kashmiri Pandit families are living outside Kashmir Valley - among them 43,000 in migrant camps in Jammu and over 19,000 in Delhi.'

Dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi, the Kheer Bhawani Mela is one of the largest Hindu gatherings in the Valley, second only to the Amarnath Yatra.

For many years, local Muslims looked after her temple located in the middle of a spring, where devotees offer milk and rice pudding. Kashmiri Pandits believe that the water at the spring shrine changes colour and it can foretell the future. If the colour of the water changes back, it's considered a bad omen.

"The Mela is a symbol of communal harmony. All arrangements here have been made by local Muslims. Despite efforts to sow discord between the two communities, no one could break this centuries-old bond," said a Kashmiri Pandit leading prayers at the spring shrine.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the Mela. Hundreds of Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF personnel have been deployed in and around the temple. All roads leading to Kheer Bhawani have been sanitised to ensure a hassle-free moment for the devotees.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha visited the shrine today and offered prayers. Recently, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also visited Tulmulla and reviewed preparations for the Mela.