Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 16: In order to oversee the arrangements put in place for smooth conduct of annual Mela Kheer Bhawani, Minister for Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir today conducted a tour of the shrine along with senior officials of the administration.
The Minister went around the shrine complex and took stock of the arrangements made by the administration for the pilgrims. He directed the officers to ensure that devotees do not face any sort of inconvenience.
It is pertinent to mention that the temple complex has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 16 crore, having 64 one-room sets, one prayer hall, 2 langars and 2 dining-halls, besides 64 bathrooms. The complex is also fitted with sewerage treatment plant and a 40-KW generator set.
Mr. Mir stressed upon the officers to work with missionary spirit and proper coordination to ensure all possible facilities are available to the devotees on Mela days at the Ashthapan.
The Minister, while interacting with yatris assured them that Government has taken all necessary initiatives for upgradation of various facilities to the visiting devotees at the various pilgrimage sites of the state. He said reformative initiatives are underway to upgrade the boarding and lodging facilities at pilgrimage sites for the convenience of the devotees.
Mr. Mir said the Kheer Bhawani Mela has over the years become a source of reunion for Kashmiri Pandits following their mass migration from the Valley in the wake of eruption of chaos in early 1990. He said it also serves as a reminder of communal harmony between Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits as the former make almost all the arrangements for the latter’s stay at the place of worship.
The Minister said people of Kashmir believe in secular ethos and mutual brotherhood, which has been the cornerstone of the world-renowned Kashmiryat. “Time is not far, when both Muslims and Pandits would be living together as they had been living earlier for centuries”, he said
Mr. Mir said the remarkable increase registered in the number of Kashmiri Pandits visiting Kheer Bhawani during last few years is an encouraging phenomenon. “Government would continue to work to improve the facilities for the large number of devotees visiting Kheer Bhawani,” he said and added Kashmiri Pandits are integral part of the culture and ethos of Kashmir and Kashmiriyat. He said that their return to the Valley is the cherished goal and yearning of the Government and the civil society.
He said the gradual improvement in the security situation and generation of economic avenues for this community would give required boost to the endeavors of the Government to achieve this goal.
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