SRINAGAR: AMID fears caused by the recent killings in the Valley, the annual Kheer Bhawani mela at the Ragnya Devi temple saw a somber celebration and fewer visitors on the occasion of Zeshta Ashtami on Wednesday. The temple is located at Tulmulla in Ganderbal.
According to the government, about 18,000 devotees visited the temple and 2,500 participated in the evening aarti. A Pandit devotee, who visited from Jammu, said the targeted killings have “caused fear among the community, and less people have come this time.”
Another Kashmiri Pandit, Sandeep, said, “We prayed for peace in the Valley.” The local residents had set up stalls in the premises. The government had made adequate security arrangements. The Pandit employees who are demanding relocation, stayed away. In a letter that has gone viral, the residents of Vessu Migrant Colony in Anantnag said they boycotted it to stress upon their demands.
In the last two years, the event was affected by the pandemic. In 2019, about 55,000 devotees attended the fair, temple priest Kalbushan Sharma said. The premises also have a spring and devotees believe the colour of the water indicates the situation in the Valley. “The colour was pink a fortnight back, but now it’s blue, which signifies peace,” Sharma said.