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Mata Khir Bhawani at Tulamulla village in Ganderbal district
tomorrow, the
 Government
has made elaborate arrangements for the comfort of thousands of
Kashmiri Pandits coming from various parts of the country,
especially migrants living in Jammu and New Delhi.
Kheer Bhavani Temple is special, not for the reason of its
architecture, but for the unusual tradition of offering Kheer to
the presiding deity. Located in Tullamula of Srinagar district,
Kheer Bhavani Temple is a highly revered shrine amongst the
Hindus. The temple can be reached easily from Srinagar by
regular tourist buses and taxis. Khir Bhawani Mandir is set
amidst the picturesque surroundings covered with the trees of
Chinar.
Kheer Bhavani Temple is dedicated to Ragnya Devi (form of
Goddess Durga). As per the legends, Lord Rama worshipped the
Goddess Ragnya, for the period of his exile. When the exile
period was completed, Lord Rama asked Lord Hanuman to relocate
the shrine of the Goddess. Lord Hanuman relocated the shrine of
the Goddess to Shadipora.
According to another legend, Ragnya Devi appeared in the dream
of a priest by the name of Raghunath Gadroo and asked him to
shift her shrine to the present place. Subsequently, the shrine
was shifted in the village of TullaMulla. The original temple
was constructed by Maharana Pratap Singh in 1912. Later, it was
renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh. In the temple complex, an
image of Ragnya Devi is placed in small shrine made in white
marble.
The Goddess Ragnya is depicted in the form of a natural
hexagonal spring that is adored by the devotees. The temple of Ragnya Devi is popularly known as Kheer Bhavani Temple, due to
the fact that devote es offer 'Kheer' (Sweet dish made of milk)
to the consecrated spring. It is alleged that 'kheer' turns
black in color, presaging about the approaching disaster.
Festival
An annual festival is celebrated by the temple on the occasion
of Shukla Paksha Ashtami. On the particular day, devotees
observe a fast and gather at the temple to pay their homage to
the Goddess. Likewise, Jesht Ashtami (May-June) is another
occasion, when people come from and near to have a glimpse of
the Goddess. It is said that on this day, the spring changes its
color with the blessings of the Goddess. The festival is
concluded with 'Maha Yagna' to please Ragnya Devi.
How to reach:
One can easily reach Kheer Bhavani Temple by
taking regular Buses or by hiring Taxis from Srinagar |
