Large Devotee Turnout At Tulmul 'Good Sign' Post Pahalgam: LG

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday described the large number of devotees attending the Kheer Bhawani Mela as a“good sign”, especially in light of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.

“The devotees have come in large numbers to attend the Mela Kheer Bhawani. This is a good sign and this is the first time after April 22 that such a crowd has gathered at a place,” Sinha told reporters here after offering prayers at the Ragnya Devi temple here in Ganderbal district.

Welcoming the devotees, the LG assured that the administration has made good arrangements for the mela.“The work on yatri niwas is going on,” he added.

Regarding the annual Amarnath Yatra scheduled to begin on July 3, Sinha confirmed that all preparations for the pilgrimage have been completed.

“In terms of security as well, the security arrangements have been done and I appeal to the devotees from across the country to come here and take Baba's blessings,” he said.
The Kheer Bhawani mela will be held at five Ragnya Bhagwati shrines at Tulmulla in Ganderbal, Manzgam and Devsar in Kulgam, Logripora in Anantnag and Tikkar in Kupwara on Tuesday.

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Leaders Renew Call For KPs Return

Meanwhile leaders across party lines on Tuesday hailed the congregation of devotees at the Mela Kheer Bhawani in Kashmir, despite the Pahalgam attack and heightened border tension, as a symbol of resilience and advocated for the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley.
The religious gathering, held on 'Jyeshtha Ashtami' at the revered Ragnya Devi temple, saw hundreds arriving in a 60-bus convoy from Jammu under tight security.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, after visiting the shrine, called the turnout a“befitting reply to those trying to disrupt communal harmony.” He said the presence of devotees at the Mela reflected a growing sense of safety and hoped it would mark the beginning of the Pandits' return to their homeland.

“This is Mata's doing. She has called her children back,” he said, urging unity across communities.

Abdullah said Kashmir is a place of“rishi-munis and sufis”, and the Kheer Bhawani Mela is part of this common faith.

He expressed hope that the mela would spark the Kashmiri Pandits' return to their homeland.

“People come here for darshan, to pray for an end to their problems as well as the problems facing the country. We have also come here and hope the mela is the beginning of the return of our brothers and sisters so that they can live here.

“We have come here with the hope that Mata will bring them back home so that they live here comfortably,” he said.

Echoing the sentiment, J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra highlighted the need for political empowerment of the Pandit community.“Cosmetic measures won't work. Their return must be natural and inclusive, with reserved seats enabling them to contest elections and integrate fully,” Karra said.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said the return of Pandits was crucial to completing any political process in J&K.“There is no military solution to Kashmir. Until the Pandits return with respect and dignity, the issue remains incomplete,” she said, adding that she had submitted a roadmap for their phased reintegration to LG Manoj Sinha.

LG Sinha, who also attended the Mela, described the large turnout as a“positive sign” and assured that adequate arrangements had been made.“This is the first large gathering since the April 22 attack,” he noted.

The Mela was simultaneously held at five Ragnya Bhagwati shrines across the Valley - in Tulmulla (Ganderbal), Manzgam and Devsar (Kulgam), Logripora (Anantnag), and Tikkar (Kupwara). The temple at Tulmulla was decked up amid a multi-layer security cover, with many pilgrims saying they prayed for peace and an end to their decades-long 'banwaas' (exile).

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