Emotional scenes were today witnessed as thousands of Kashmiri Pandits joined the annual ''Mela Kheerbhawani'', in Tulamulla where the holy spring associated with Goddess Ragnya Devi changes colours from time to time.
The annual mela provides an opportunity to Kashmiri Pandits, who had migrated to other parts of the country in early 90s and their local Muslim brethren to get reunited.
Governor, N N Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Revenue and Relief Minsiter Raman Bhalla , Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Mohammad Yaseen Malik and senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah were among others who visited the temple to greet the devotees, who had come from different parts of the country.
Mr Vohra who was accompanied by first lady, Usha Vohra, paid obeisance at sanctum sanctorum and prayed for peace, harmony, progress and prosperity in the State.
Mr Abdullah interacted with yatris and enquired about the arrangements. He paid obeisance at the shrine and prayed for the return of peace and tranquility in the trouble-torn State.
"We wait entire year for this occasion to meet our Pandit brethren," said Muslims, who provided them milk, flowers and other articles for Pooja.
The administration had put into service 40 passenger buses for ferrying the devotees from Jammu. Besides 20 private buses have also been granted permission for transport facilities of devotees from favoured destinations of the Valley.
The spring of the temple takes on various hues like red, pink, orange, green, blue and has often light green, red rosy and milky white shades.
The colour of the spring remained black in the year 1947 when the Pakistani raiders attacked the Kashmir valley.
Any shade of black colour is supposed to be inauspicious for the inhabitants of the Valley, Kashmir Pandit priests, associated with the shrine said.
Thousands of devotees from different parts of the country and within State visited the shrine today on the occasion of Jesht Ashtami.
Rising of bubbles has also been observed many times which form the mystic Chakra on the surface of the water.
Such a sacred and mysterious spring is found nowhere else in India. The people living round the holy spring have great veneration for the holy shrine as nobody enters the premises of the holy spring if he happens to have taken meat on that day.
The historic Temple of Kheer Bhiwani was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1912 and later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh.
The diety of Godess Ragyna is decorated in a small white Marble Temple. The legend goes that Lord Rama worshipped Mother Ragyna during his exile & desired Hanuman to shift the seat of Mother after the expiry of exile period, who bought it to Shadipora and was later shifted to present site as per the wish of divine Mother Ragnya conveyed in dream to one Pandit Rugnath Gadroo.
Meanwhile, reopening of Mata Bhawani temple in south Kashmir after remaining closed for more than 22 years was more than just a religious affair as emotional scenes were witnessed when Pandit migrants were received by their Muslim neighbours.
"It was reunion with our Muslim brethren who encouraged us to return and reopen the Mata Bhawani temple at Lokti Pura (Aishmuqam) on Anantnag-Pahalgam road in South Kashmir yesterday," said the Kashmiri migrant Pandits who had come from different parts of the country.
A young girl said she had a very faint memory about the temple as she was visiting to pray alongwith her parents before migration to Jammu.
The Pandits, who were in tears after receiving overwhelming response from the local Muslims said ''We have wasted two decades as we were scare because of daily news reports on Kashmir situation''.
"We find totally different situation in the Kashmir Valley, where Kashmiriyat is still alive'', they said.
The local Muslims said the temple was closed after majority of Pandits migrated to other parts of the country in early 90s.
"We were looking after the temple and made sure no damage was done to it", they said, adding that they remained in touch with the Pandit brethren.
They said they succeeded in perusing them to return here and reopen the Mata Bhawani temple again.
"Our efforts had yielded results and we are again together today to join each others festivals", the Muslims said.
Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits paid obeisance at the Mata Kheer Bhawani temple at Tikker in North Kashmir district of Kupwara where a Maha Yagya was also performed on the occasion.
The Mata Kheer Bhawani mela was also celebrated at the ancient shrine of Mata Kheer Bhawani at Manzgam in South Kahsmir district of Kulgam and at Tripur Sundri Khanbarnian today.
A large number of Kashmiri Pandits participated in these functions and hawans were also solemnized at these shrines. The local Muslims welcomed the displaced Pandits.
A Maha yagya was also performed at Tirath Raj Mattan under the supervision of M K Yogi president of the Trust.
As a goodwill gesture Low Paid Employees Federation and Pensioners Association had installed stalls to offer soft drinks and lemon water to yatries at Tulamulla.
