CM Omar Abdullah reviews arrangements for annual Kheer Bhawani Mela at Tulmulla

The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, visited the historic Kheer Bhawani Temple at Tulmulla in Ganderbal district on Thursday (June 18) to review the final arrangements for the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela. During his visit, he offered prayers at the temple ahead of the festival and took stock of the preparations being made for the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.

The chief minister inspected various arrangements, including crowd management, sanitation, medical facilities, security measures, and parking provisions. He held meetings with officials on the ground, reviewed security deployments, and stressed the importance of close coordination among the civil administration, police, and disaster response agencies.

''All arrangements for the Kheer Bhawani Mela have been completed. Adequate measures have been put in place to ensure the safety, security and convenience of pilgrims. We hope the festival will be conducted peacefully and successfully.” said Omar Abdullah, CM JK.

Government officials informed the Chief Minister that extensive preparations have been put in place for the mela. These include dedicated medical camps, ambulance services, drinking water facilities, and temporary shelters for elderly and vulnerable pilgrims. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed to manage the expected influx of devotees, while traffic diversions and designated parking areas have been planned to prevent congestion on approach roads.

Sanitation teams have carried out extensive cleaning drives and established waste disposal points around the temple complex. The local administration also highlighted its coordination with religious organizations and community volunteers to facilitate crowd management, particularly during peak darshan hours. Contingency plans for adverse weather conditions and medical emergencies were also reviewed during the inspection.

The Kheer Bhawani Mela is one of the most significant religious festivals for the Kashmiri Pandit community and attracts thousands of pilgrims from across Jammu and Kashmir as well as other parts of the country. The festival is marked by ritual worship at the sacred spring dedicated to Goddess Kheer Bhawani, with devotees offering kheer (rice pudding) and seeking divine blessings.

Local residents and temple authorities welcomed the Chief Minister's visit, describing it as a reassuring sign of the administration's commitment to ensuring a safe and peaceful pilgrimage.