Kupwara, June 23: The annual Mela Kheer Bhawani, one of the most significant festivals of the Kashmiri Pandit community dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi, was celebrated with great religious fervour at Tikker in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Monday.
Hundreds of devotees from across Kashmir and other parts of the country visited the holy shrine to offer prayers and seek blessings. Devotees participated in Pooja Archana, Havan, and offered flowers, milk and rose petals to the deity while walking barefoot as a mark of devotion.
During the celebrations, many devotees prayed for lasting peace in the Valley and the dignified return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland.
“We prayed for peace and for our return to Kashmir. We don’t want to come here as tourists but to resettle permanently in our homeland,” said Aasha, a Kashmiri Pandit devotee currently living in Jammu.
A group of women who attended the festival after nearly 35 years said the occasion brought back emotional memories of their childhood and the peaceful coexistence they once shared in the Valley.
The festival also reflected the spirit of communal harmony, with local Muslims joining in welcoming devotees and recalling the tradition of celebrating the festival together before the migration of Kashmiri Pandits.
The Kupwara district administration made extensive arrangements, including accommodation, drinking water, electricity, medical facilities and transport, to ensure a smooth pilgrimage.
Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Shrikant Balasaheb said the arrival of devotees from across India was a positive sign of growing peace and harmony in the region. Police officials also confirmed that comprehensive security arrangements were put in place for the festival.
