Ganderbal, June 18: The annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela was celebrated on Friday at the Ragnya Devi deity Shrine situated in Tullamulla village of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Tullamulla shrine is being considered holiest shrine of the local Kashmiri Pandit community and is also the symbol of centuries-old eclectic culture and brotherhood among different communities of Kashmir.
Though all the Covid-19 related SOPs were put in place, still the gathering was not large due to pandemic. Eyewitnesses told KNT that people visited the shrine intermittently.
The festival is celebrated each year on Zyestha Ashtami which coincides this year with June 18. Because of the ongoing pandemic, no large gathering of devotees was allowed at the shrine today although the traditional Puja was held with the limited number of devotees.
Local Muslims were seen waiting outside the shrine with milk filled earthen pots to receive the Pandit devotees on the annual festival.
“We are really excited to visit the shrine. Our Muslim brothers welcomed us with open heart. It is good to see brotherhood and harmony still existing in Valley,” a Pandit who had arrived from Jammu said.
Authorities had made all the arrangements for the devotees who expressed their satisfaction and thanked government. (KNT)
