Srinagar: A large number of Kashmiri Pandits gathered at Tulmulla in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday to participate in the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela, officials said.
This year’s celebration comes in the aftermath of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local. The attack has cast a shadow over the turnout at the festival, held at the revered Kheer Bhawani temple located around 27 km from Srinagar.
The mela is among the most significant religious events for the Kashmiri Pandit community.
Last year, over 25,000 devotees visited the temple to pay their respects.
While this year’s participation has been affected by security concerns, a considerable number of devotees still made their way to the shrine, with the air resonating with the chanting of hymns and the ringing of temple bells.
To ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the festival, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has put in place elaborate arrangements.
Officials said a heavy deployment of Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel has been made in and around the temple premises. All approach roads to the shrine have been fully sanitised, officials said.
Several political leaders have greeted the people on Mela Kheer Bhawani.
