First religious gathering after Pahalgam attack: Mata Kheer Bhawani festival celebrated in Kashmir amid tight security

Kashmir Valley witnessed the first religious gathering after the Pahalgam attack at the Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district. Thousands of devotees from across Jammu and Kashmir and the whole of India gathered today to celebrate the birth anniversary of Mata Kheer Bhawani. The devotees said that it was their response to terrorists.

As security was beefed up across the Kashmir Valley for the festival at Mata Kheer Bhawani, a three tier security system was in place around the temple and the route that connects Srinagar to Ganderbal district. Thousands of devotees turned up at the temple at a time when Kashmir witnessed zero travellers after the Pahlagam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

The devotees present at the temple said they won't bow down to terrorism and will never stop coming to the Valley.

“We all must stand united across the country. The agenda of this attack was to create a divide in the entire country or create riots between Hindu’s and Muslims. But everyone has made it a point that they would come and attend the annual Mela Kher Bhawani here shows the courage that was much needed after the Pahalgam gruesome attack and people have defied all odds and come here to pay obeisance at this shrine and everyone is happy and there is no fear on their face. That is a great sigh of courage, '' said Mohit Bhan, Kashmiri Pandit, PDP.

Security forces had laid down a massive deployment all around the Ganderbal district and adjacent areas. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, the locals had volunteered to help carry out the festival with utmost fervour and support.

“In Coordination with the civil administration and Paramilitary forces. The general public was taken into confidence, and they came forward too and created a scenario where multiple pilgrims can visit and we are making sure everyone leaves safely too, all efforts are being made to secure every place and people should come, '' said Khalil Poswal, SSP Ganderbal.

The festival and Puja were attended by the LG of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, The former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq Abdullah. The National Conference President said that brothership has not died and will never die.

''It’s a message to the whole world that the brothership has not died and the brothership will never die, '' said Farooq Abdullah, NC President.

Mehbooba Mufti also said that Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits. ''Our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters come here every year to celebrate the festival. We had come to welcome the devotees, and we wanted to tell them that Jammu Kashmir is incomplete without them. PDP believes that Jammu Kashmir won’t be solved with a military solution but only talks, '' she said.

The locals however were happy and said these many people turning up for the festival is a slap on the faces of terrorists who wanted to create rifts between Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims.

“This is a befitting response to the terrorists who carried out the Pahalgam attack. I want to condemn and pay tribute to the ones who were killed. The whole atmosphere here is filled with fervour. The brotherhood between Kashmiri Pandit and Muslims is visible here. We pray for peace and happiness for the people and we want people to come to Kashmir Valley, '' said Muktesh Yogi, Local.

The festival is held by Kashmiri Pandits every year.