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Tulmulla (Ganderbal, J-K) : Faith will always trump fear – this was exemplified by scores of members of the Kashmiri Pandit community who gathered here on Tuesday for the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela, held in the shadow of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and heightened border tensions.
The revered temple of Ragnya Devi, nestled in the shade of mighty chinar trees in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, was decked up for festivities with thousands of devotees from across the country offering prayers on the occasion of ‘Zyeth Atham’ also known as ‘Jyeshtha Ashtami’.
A multi-layer security ring was thrown around the temple complex, situated around 25 km north-east of Srinagar, and along the routes for the Mela in the Valley, which is still reeling from the aftermath of the horrific Pahalgam attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists.
“There is some impact (of the Pahalgam attack),” Nanna Ji, a Kashmiri Pandit, said.
He said the attack was a ploy by Pakistan to destroy the age-old Hindu-Muslim brotherhood.
“But, I want to say this that a Kashmiri Pandit is incomplete without a Kashmiri Muslim, and Kashmiri Muslim is incomplete without a Kashmiri Pandit,” he said, adding such conspiracies will never be allowed to succeed.
The atmosphere brimmed with religious fervour and communal amity between Hindus and Muslims as locals opened not just their homes but their hearts as well for the people.
Among the pilgrims were many whose families were forced to leave the Kashmir Valley after the outbreak of militancy. Many said they prayed for peace in the Valley and for their dignified return, putting an end to their ‘banwaas’ (exile).
Bharat Bhushan, a Kashmiri Pandit currently living in Jammu, said the large attendance of the devotees at the Mela was a befitting reply to the Pahalgam attackers.
“This is a befitting reply to them. We want to tell them — faith is more powerful than fear and faith will always trump fear. We will respond to terror and fear through faith,” Bhushan said.
He also appealed to the tourists to visit the Kashmir Valley.
“There are some bad elements who want to destroy the Hindu-Muslim brotherhood. They tried to do that (in Pahalgam). But, today, on this occasion, we want to respond to them and say that the brotherhood will continue to exist.
“We appeal to our tourist brothers to come and visit Kashmir – ‘the paradise on earth’. Bad elements are in every community, they should be identified and dealt with according to the law of the land,” he said.
Muktesh Yogi, a young Kashmiri Pandit whose family migrated from Mattan area of Anantnag district, said the presence of a large number of devotees at the Mela will send a good message.
“I think the people deserve to be congratulated the way they have come here and there is such a fervour. The large attendance of the devotes here is a good message for the country that there is no threat perception and people of Kashmir are welcoming,” he said.
Yogi said faith is always more powerful than fear.
As devotees jostled with each other to move closer to the main temple, walking barefoot and carrying rose petals, the chants of hymns echoed through the temple compound.
Men took a dip in the stream close to the shrine. The devotees paid obeisance to the deity while offering milk and kheer (pudding) at the sacred spring within the complex.
It is believed that the colour of the sacred spring water which flows below the temple indicates the situation in the Valley.
While most of the colours do not have any particular significance, black or darkish colour of the water is believed to be an indication of inauspicious times for Kashmir. The water in the spring was clean and milky white this year.
“We want to return. It is a good thing. A dialogue process should start. But it should not end at mere statements. Something concrete should be done,” Yogi said.
Nanna Ji said Kashmiri Pandits, who have waited for over three decades to return to the Valley, prayed for their return and rehabilitation to take place sooner than later.
“The Mata should call us sooner. I want the Kashmiri Muslims to come out and call us back home,” he said. (Agencies)
