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| Knowing Mata Kheer Bhawani | | |  Dr. Daleep Pandita
As per Hindu calendar, every year on Shakul Pukash Zeysht Ashtami, thousands of devotees mostly Kashmiri Pandits from all over globe throng the Sanctum Santorum of Mata Kheer Bhawani temple to celebrate their ages old most popular annual festival of faith and ethos. Even as on today this pilgrimage assume high socio traditional significance despite prevailing displacement of many Kashmiri Pandit families, primarily to uphold their rich tradition and strong cultural heritage. This historical practice having deep mythological significance, serves submission to the goddess’s divine presence in the form of Mata Maharagnia, an incarnation of Mata Durga and deep spiritual importance towards Her devotees as a beacon of their spiritual solace and utmost faith.
Pre dominated with centuries old Chinar trees, Mata Kheer Bhawani campus at Tulamulla under Ganderbal District located about 25 Kms from Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir is a pious sacred site as per sage Bringesh Rishi in his ancient texts wherein the holly spring nestled within its marshy terrain as per Kalhana’s Rajtarangini emerged as the destined abode of Mata Maharagnia. A learned Brahmin, Govind Joo blessed with a divine vision, beheld the goddess in the form of serpent, an embodiment of protection and nurturing essence, ventured in to these marshes at Tulamulla with a vessel of milk, the symbol of purity and devotion, observed the divine presence of Mata Kheer Bhawani when he poured the milk in to the sacred spring exiting on the spot.
According to Hindu philosophical belief, the journey of Mata Durga, started from Lanka to Tulamulla when goddess witnessed the tyranny and hubris of king Ravana’s soul during abduction of Mata Sita and decided that Her presence could no longer remain at a place filled with utmost darkness, full of impurity and moral corruption. To move away from the malevolent influence of the demon king, this tale of divine orchestration and sacred symbolism began in a “ sani wari “ meaning a small earthen pot in Kashmir, that had the sacred image of goddess was carried on his shoulders by Lord Hanuman due to his immense strength and unwavering devotion from Lanka to the sacred place at Tulamulla, that symbolized the transfer of spiritual purity from the land of demons to land of saints and sagas.
Finally this spot was reshaped in to a small hindu temple by then Dogra ruler, Maharaja Pratap Singh who referred its court yard as “Dev Aangan” and planted with number of old big chinar trees and of late renovated in to large campus by the last ruler of Dogra regime, Maraharaja Hari Singh, which is still maintained by Jammu and Kashmir Dharamarth Trust. Now the Kashmir Pandit community has constricted replica of Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple at various prominent places all over the world and celebrate this Zeyshta Ashtami day with traditional and religious enthusiasm. Currently Government of the day is also making satisfactory arrangements in conducting smooth annual mela of Mata Kheer Bhawani at Tulamulla.
Presently this Zeyshta Ashtami is celebrated with annual yatra due to migration of Kashmiri pandit community, in which worshiping Mata Ragnia by continuously performing the religious hawan pooja followed with traditional rituals of offering milk and dropping sugar cones “ Kaand ” in to the holly spring, showering rose petals and typical herbs leaves “ Vyna patar ” besides serving typical prashad of “ sujjee halwa ”, is held with all religious fervor and sanctity. Due to these typical traditional rituals goddess is popularly referred as Mata Kheer Bhawani among Kashmiri community. Mata’s devotees particularly Kashmiri Brahmins and mainly their ladies folk observe fast on this day of Zeyshta Ashtami and even on ashtami of every month, not merely as their religious ritual but as a deep rooted firm testament to their enduring spiritual legacy and communal identity. |
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