TULMULLA, KASHMIR, June 17:
Emotional scenes were witnessed today when Kashmiri Pandits, migrated in 90s to different parts of the country, attended the night-long puja at Hindu Goddess, Ragnya Devi temple at Khirbhawani in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal.
Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits, including those visiting for the first time after their migration, attended the annual festival of Khirbhawani, providing the much-needed opportunity to them to visit their roots.
“This in fact has provided us an opportunity to meet our Muslim brethern though we remained in touch during all these years on phone,” said one Girdhari Lal, presently residing at Janipore, Jammu.
“We did not see any change in our relations though, people with vested interest from both communities, had made attempts to create a wedge,” he felt.
Similar views were expressed by his Muslim friend Ghulam Qadir Dar, who had come all the way from a Badgam village to see him and his family.
“Nothing has changed except that we are living in Jammu and Dar in Kashmir,” Mr Lal said.
A large number of Muslims had come from different parts of the Valley to meet their Pandit brethern, who had come from Jammu, Delhi, Chandigrah, Himachal Pradesh and other parts of the country.
Kashmiri pandits, who had come for the first time after their migration from here, could not control their emotions when they talked about their past in Kashmir.
“We were born here, played with our Muslim friends, completed our education, but had to migrate to places, which are still unknown for us despite spending more than two decades there,” they said.
Those who were born after 90s, said Kashmir is very beautiful and we want to live here. However, others said that they are now settled outside, where there are vast opportunities for employment and education. But majority of them could not speak in Kashmiri.
Elders, who had spent their entire life in Kashmir, wanted to return to their roots before the end.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union ministers, Opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Communist Party of India (M) and other social organisations have greeted people, particularly, the members of Pandit community on the occasion.
The State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) had pressed into service buses to bring the devotees from different camps and migrant concentrated locations at Jammu to Khirbhawani temple at Tulmulla yesterday.
A number of political and social organisations, besides different departments had set up camps for the devotees, while Muslim traders were selling flowers and milk and other article necessary for puja.
The devotees, who participated in the night-long puja, prayed for early peace in the state so that they could return to the valley once again.
The prayers were going on for the past few days in the temple, where adequate security measures had been made for the peaceful pilgrimage.
The annual festival is held here on Jesht Ashtami (May-June) when Kashmiri Pandits offer prayers to seek the blessings of the diety.
Devotees also throng on every Shukla Paksh Ashtami round the year and perform ‘hawan’ to please the Mother.
The historic temple of Khirbhawani was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1912 and later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh.
The diety of Goddess Ragyna is decorated in a small white marble temple.
The legend goes that Lord Rama worshipped mother Ragyna during his exile and desired Hanumanji to shift the seat of mother after the expiry of exile period, who bought it to Shadipora and was later shifted to present site as per the wish of devine mother Ragnya who conveyed it in dream to one Pandit Rugnath Gadroo, it is believed.
Different government departments besides a number of private organisations had set up stall for the devotees.
The authorities have made all arrangments for the mela at Khir Bhawani temple at Tulmulla in the central Kashmir district of Badgam, where it is said that a holy spring changes its colours from time to time.
The number of devotees, which declined after the migration of the Pandit community from here in early 90s witnessed several fold increase during the past few years. However, this has provided an opportunity to Pandits to reunite with their Muslim brethern.
Expecting record number of devotees this time, the government has made all arrangements for their stay and security.
Officials said additional water points have been installed, adding that the engineers of the Power Development Department (PDD) department ensured round the clock power supply during the mela days.
They said more than 4,000 blankets and some halls at Yatri Bhawans and dormitories in the premises of the temple are ready for accommodating the devotees.
However, the devotees complained that the tents provided to them were leaking due to rains yesterday.
Mr Vohra has felicitated the people on the eve of Khirbhawani Mela and prayed for sustained peace, amity, progress and prosperity in the state.
In his message of greetings, the Governor observed that the festival is a shining example of communal harmony and brotherhood, which are the hallmark of the glorious pluralistic ethos of Jammu and Kashmir for centuries past.
The Governor, on this occasion, prayed for the well-being of the people of the state.
The Chief minister visited the temple today and met a number of devotees, who demanded full implementation of Prime Minister’s package for them.
He also felicitated Kashmiri Pandits on Zestha Ashtami being celebrated as mela Khirbhawani in the Valley.
In his felicitation message, the Chief Minister wished people and prayed for peace and development of the state.
Union Ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad and Dr Farooq Abdullah, besides PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and president Mehbooba Mufti also greeted the people on the occasion.
CPI(M) State Secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has also felicitated Kashmiri Pandit brethren on this auspicious occasion.
He said the occasion reflects rich tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood, which stood test of times even during the odious phase of turmoil in the state.
“In fact Kashmiri Pandits are ‘Jugular Vein’ of secular fabrics of Kashmiri culture and ethos,” Mr Tarigami said while hoping that the occasion of mela Khirbhawani would usher in a new era of peace, prosperity and brotherhood in the state.
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik also visited the temple and greeted the Kashmiri Pandits on the auspicious occasion. (AGENCIES)
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