All arrangements in place for annual ‘Mela Kheer Bhawani’

Kashmir(Ganderbal), Jun 18: Authorities have made all arrangements for annual 'Mela Kheer Bhawani' -- the most important festival of Kashmiri Pandits, associated with the Hindu Goddess Ragnya Devi -- in Ganderbal while the local Muslims have set up stalls, to provide flowers, milk and other articles for the 'pooja'.

For the first time, the state government has announced free transport service for devotees from Delhi to the temple and back to attract more pundits to the mela, to be celebrated on June 20.

“All the arrangements have been made for the annual Mela Kheer Bhawani,” officials said.

Governor N N Vohra on Saturday visited Kheer Bhawani shrine at Tulmulla, Ganderbal, and reviewed the arrangements which have been put in place for the devotees, who will throng the Shrine on the occasion.

The Governor discussed with the Chief Secretary B B Vyas, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal Fayaz Ahmad Lone and other concerned officers the arrangements made by the District Administration and the Dharamarth Trust for the stay of the pilgrims, particularly the sanitation facilities.
In this context, he visited the Sewage Treatment Plant at the Shrine which, he was informed by the Deputy Commissioner.

It is said a holy spring in Kheer Bhawani Temple at Tullamula changes its colours from time to time.

It takes on various hues like red, pink, orange, green, blue and has often light green, red rosy and milky white shades. Any shade of black colour is considered to be inauspicious for the inhabitants of the valley, Kashmir pandit priests, looking after the shrine, said.

Thousands of devotees from different parts of the country and within the state visit the shrine on the occasion every year. The number of devotees, which declined after the migration of the Pandit community from here in early 90s due to eruption of militancy, has witnessed manifold increase during the past about a decade. The annual mela provides an opportunity to pandits to reunite with their Muslim brethren separated due to turmoil.

Expecting record number of devotees this time, the government has made all arrangements for their stay and security. A number of senior minister and top bureaucrats visited the shrine to review the arrangements for the Mela.

The Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, said all arrangements have been put in place for providing every possible facility to the pilgrims coming from the different parts of the Country including from Jammu for celebrating the Kheer Bhawani mela scheduled on June 20.

He said additional water points have been installed, adding that the Engineers of the Power Development Department (PDD) department have been directed to ensure round the clock power supply during the mela days. Thousand of blankets are available for the devotees at Yatri Bhawans and Dormitories in the premises of the Temple.

State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses will be available at different migrants camps and migrant concentrated locations at Jammu for carrying the devotees.

Government of Jammu and Kashmir Special Cell for Migrants Resident Commission is facilitating free travel for Kashmiri Pandit community members from Delhi to Tulmulla Ganderbal for the annual Mata Kheer Bhawani festival, an official spokesman said.

The government has made provision of two free of cost Volvo AC buses which will leave Delhi on Monday and return to Delhi on June 21.