Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 17: Thousands of devotees drawn from different parts of Jammu today thronged the holy temple of Mata Kheer Bhawani Peeth at Bhawani Nagar Janipur here to participate in the annual mela.
The temple of Bhawani Nagar is the replica of original temple of Mata Kheer Bhawani at Tulmulla and Jesht Ashtami being the most auspicious festival of Kashmiri Pandits they celebrate it at Bhawani Nagar temple after the mass migration of the community from the Valley in 1989.
The rush of the devotees started from early in the morning and it swelled by the afternoon . The devotees with the pooja material and flowers paid their obeisance to the Goddess in a traditional way. The Sanstha looking after the management of the shrine also performed a Maha Yagya on the occasion. The hawan started yesterday and puranahuti was performed this afternoon which was followed by serving of prashad to devotees.
Entire Bhawani Nagar area housing the temple complex of Mata gave a festive look. The Sansthan in cooperation with the local administration had made elaborate arrangements of drinking water, medicare facilities, transportation etc for the pilgrims visiting the shrine.
A contingent of police was also deployed at the shrine for security of yatris.
Several stalls were set up by the Sanstha and other social organizations and philanthropists for the convenience of the yatris. A special cleanliness drive was launched by JMC in the area so that the yatris are not put to hardships.
The function culminated with Samohik Aarti in the evening in which a large number of devotees took part to seek blessings from the Goddess.
The main attraction of today’s Mela was consecration of Godess Kheer Bhawani and Shree Buteshwar Ji Maharaj similar to ones at Tulmulla Kashmir by the Trust.
Meanwhile, Jesht Ashtami was celebrated with religious fervour at KP Sabha Ambphalla also.
Reports coming from Kashmir Valley said that hundreds of devotees participated in the celebrations of Kheer Bhawani Mela at Mata Tripursundri, Khanbarnian, in Devsar Tehsil of Kulgam district, Mata Kheer Bhawani shrine at Manzgam in the same district, Mata Kheer Bhawani temple shrine at Logripora in Anantnag district and Mata Kheer Bhawani Shrine at Tikker in Kupwara district.
At all these religious places hawans were performed and devotees were served prashad. Minister of Tourism G A Mir visited the shrine of Tripursundri to look into the arrangements. The Minister later visited Manzgam Shrine also and interacted with yatris there. Minister of Social Welfare Sakina Itoo also visited the Manzgam to see the arrangements there. The other dignitaries who visited the shrine included Secretary Revenue, Vinod Kaul, Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Kuldeep Khuda and DIG Anantnag, Vijay Kumar. The Deputy Speaker, Sartaj Madni visited the Logripora Shrine to see the arrangements for the pilgrims there.
Meanwhile AMCCC chief Desh Rattan has expressed concern over the politicizing of the religious festival of Jesht Ashtami and urged both politicians as well as community leaders to keep the celebrations confined to religious affairs only to maintain the age old sanctity of the holy festival.
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