The fragile security situation in Kashmir resulted into subdued response to annual festival at Khir Bhavani temple at Tulmulla in Ganderbal district on Friday even as hundreds of Pandits travelled from Jammu and other cities to participate in the event.
The Khir Bhawani temple, located at Tulmulla, 25 kilometers from here has become a major congregation of Pandits in Kashmir over the past several years. The authorities make special arrangements to ferry Pandits from Jammu to attend the festival.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti received the devotees and asked them to pray for peace and welfare of Jammu and Kashmir.
The event, however, remained subdued this year, apparently due to the uncertain security situation in the Valley. The Valley is reeling under continued student protests against alleged highhandedness of security forces. The latest bout of protests was triggered by killing of a senior militant commander Sabzar Bhat during an encounter in Tral subdivision of south Kashmir on Saturday last.
During the heydays of militancy in early 1990s, a handful of Pandits were participating in the festival. The Pandits believe that the colour of water inside a spring in the temple enclave situated under the shade of mammoth chinars foretells the year’s future. The festival attracted large crowds between 2002 and 2008.
Interacting with the devotees, Mehbooba Mufti said people in Kashmir eagerly await the return of their Kashmiri brethren. She said the socio cultural milieu of Valley is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits. She also extended her good wishes to them on the auspicious day and also enquired about the arrangements made for them.
A large number of Kashmiri Muslims had come to meet their Pandit brethren on the occasion. Many Muslim neighbours had put up stalls for the convenience of the devotees, a gesture which was deeply appreciated by the devotees.
local Muslims, who despite observing the fasts in the holy month of Ramzan, were serving eatables to the devotees and offering them flowers and other material for offering special puja at the shrine.