Many Pandits who had migrated to different parts of the country in the 1990s in the wake of raging militancy attend the annual festival of Zyestha Ashtami
Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits converged at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Kashmir Valley’s Ganderbal district to attend the annual festival of Zyestha Ashtami on Friday. Many of them had migrated to different parts of the country in the 1990s in the wake of raging militancy.
“My family has been here for the past four days. The Kheer Bhawani temple has been of great importance to Pandits for centuries. We all prayed for peace in Jammu and Kashmir,” Ajay Ganjoo, now a resident of New Delhi, said. The Ganjoos were among thousands of Pandit families who left the Valley in 1990.
Scores of Muslims also joined the Kheer Bhawani mela and set up stalls outside the temple “to convey the message of Kashmiriyat”. “Muslims, like in the past, sold puja paraphernalia to Pandit brethren like incense sticks, diyas and flowers. This is to convey the message of brotherhood,” Sajid Sheikh, a valley resident, said.
The temple of Kheer Bhawani is located amid chinar trees and has a natural spring, which is considered auspicious by Pandits. According to the community, water in the pond ominously turned black in the 1990s and the community had to face a mass migration in the wake of militancy.
“This time the water is nirmal [clean and transparent]. It’s a good omen. We are hopeful of peace returning to Kashmir and Pandits returning to their homes,” Bitto Kaul, a devotee, said.
Over 5,000 Pandits have been staying for the past several days at Mata Kheer Bhawani mela sites such as Tulmulla, Ganderbal; Tikker, Kupwara; Devsar and Manzam, Kulgam; and Logripora, Anantnag on the auspicious occasion of Zyestha Ashtami. Security was tightened as nine pilgrims were killed and over 33 injured when a bus was attacked by militants in Reasi’s Katra area on June 9.
Meanwhile, J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha revealed that over 30,000 devotees paid obeisance during the Kheer Bhawani mela at Tulmulla on Friday. “A Yatri Niwas which will accommodate 1,000 pilgrims will come up in the next eight months in Tulmulla,” Mr. Sinha said.
Several J&K political leaders, including National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and Iltija Mufti, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and daughter of the party president Mehbooba Mufti, visited the temple and greeted the Pandits on the occasion. The leaders, in separate statements, said they also prayed for the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley. Ms. Mehbooba Mufti and NC’s Omar Abdullah also issued statements greeting the community. “May Mata accept all your prayers and shower you [Pandits] with abundant blessings,” Mr. Abdullah said.
Mirwaiz pitches for Pandits’ return
Hurriyat chairman and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq made an appeal from the pulpit of the Jamia Masjid during Friday prayers in Srinagar for Pandits’ return and urged the majority community to play its rolet.
“People of J&K yearn to see Pandits back in Kashmir. This pulpit has, in the past, made efforts in this direction and will continue to do so. There is a longing for restoring old harmony and brotherhood. Return of Pandits is not a political but a human issue. We need to heal wounds rather than scratch it. We all should work towards rebuilding and reconciling. Deliberation and dialogue and not iron hand will help resolve issues,” the Mirwaiz said in his Friday sermon.
