J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha joins devotees at Kheer Bhawani mela, prays for peace and prosperity

Thousands of devotees from across India and abroad gathered at the revered Kheer Bhawani Temple in Tulmulla, central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, to participate in the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela celebrated on the auspicious occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami. The festival witnessed a massive influx of pilgrims, particularly members of the Kashmiri Pandit community, who converged at the shrine with deep faith and devotion. Devotees offered kheer, a traditional preparation of milk and rice, to Goddess Ragnya Devi and participated in special prayers and religious rituals.

Many pilgrims arrived a day ahead of the festival, resulting in long queues at the temple premises as devotees waited patiently for darshan. The annual mela continues to hold immense religious and cultural significance for Kashmiri Pandits and serves as a symbol of Kashmir’s rich spiritual heritage.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also visited the shrine and paid obeisance at the temple. Joining thousands of devotees, he offered prayers for peace, prosperity, and the well-being of the people. Seeking the blessings of Goddess Ragnya Devi, the Lieutenant Governor highlighted the importance of preserving the region’s cultural and religious traditions.

The Mela Kheer Bhawani, held every year at the sacred shrine in Tulmulla, attracted devotees from various parts of Jammu and Kashmir as well as other states of the country. Pilgrims took part in religious ceremonies, offered prayers, and sought blessings from the deity. The festival also reflected the spirit of communal harmony that Kashmir is known for. Local Muslim residents extended support and assistance to visiting pilgrims, reinforcing the long-standing bonds of brotherhood and mutual respect between communities.

To ensure the smooth and peaceful conduct of the event, elaborate security and traffic arrangements were put in place. Security personnel were deployed along the routes leading to the shrine and throughout the temple complex, while civil administration officials supervised crowd management and other logistical arrangements.