After a low attendance of devotees in the past two years due to Covid 19 Kashmiri Pandit devotees on Wednesday thronged the famous Kheer Bhawani temple of ''Ragnya Devi'' at Tulmulla area in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district to celebrate the annual festival of Kheer Bhawani.

The whole of Tulmulla wore a festive look with pilgrims majority of whom were displaced Pandits visited the shrine on the annual festival (Jyestha Ashtami) and held special prayers. Amid the hymns and bells, men and women, young and old, paid obeisance at the temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kheer Bhawani Devi.

The devotees offered milk and Kheer (pudding) to the sacred spring surrounded by Chinar trees within the temple complex. The devotees were also showering rose petals and lighting earthen lamps in the temple.

Although the government had made special arrangements for the convenience of devotees, the local Muslims, as usual, had also made arrangements for their Pandit brothers. The Muslims greeted Pandits and expressed hope of their return to Valley permanently.

The Ganderbal district administration said it has made elaborated arrangements for the annual ‘mela’.“The Muslims and Hindus, making arrangements for the festival of the Mata,”.

Outside the temple, stalls were set up by local Muslims to sell everything needed to perform the rituals of the festival.

This day is very revered for our Kashmiri Pandit brethren and they have come here in thousands today. We pray to God for their dignified return to the valley so that they live in their own homes,” said a kashmiri pandit Sita devi (70) who migrated during 90s from kashmir.

I am coming here from the last 22 years and this year I came specially to pray for peace, harmony, progress and prosperity in the state, which is going through a bad period,said another Kashmiri pandit.

Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Shyambir said we have made all the arrangements for the devotees.