Kheer Bhawani Temple is a Hindu Shrine which is quite famous. It is located in the Tulla Mulla village near Srinagar. This temple falls under the Ganderbal district of Srinagar. The name of the temple has been derived from a famous Indian dessert that is Kheer, which is sweet in taste and is made of milk, sugar and rice, This dessert is the main offering to the goddess.
Kheer Bhawani
Kheer Bhawani temple has been constructed above a sacred natural spring and is believed that this natural spring changes its colors magically. The change in color of spring warns about disaster which is about to come. The name of the goddess which has been established here is Ragniya Devi, who is believed to be the deity or avtar of goddess Durga. Most of the Hindus of Kashmir worship her as their patron deity (Kuladevi). The Kheer Bhawani Temple is situated at a distace of 14kms from Srinagar.
History of Kheer Bhawani
It is believed the night when Mata Rani came from Sri Lanka to Srinagar that night is named as Ragniya Ratri in Kashmir. There are numbers of temple of Goddess at Tiker, Bhuvaneshva, Manzgam and many other places as well but the shrine of Goddess at Tulmul is the most famous shrine and the main focus of devotees. It is also believed that on that night 360 springs (nags) gathered at Kheer Bhawani temple.
This temple was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in the year 1912. The temple built by Maharaja Pratap Singh was later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh. According to our legends, Lord Rama used to worship Goddess during his exile. He expressed his desire to Lord Hanuman of shifting this temple to Shadipora. One day Goddess Ragniya came in the dream of local pandit whose name was Rugnath Gadroo, so he shifted her temple where the temple is situated today.
ALSO READ: ( Gulmarg In Srinagar, A Tourist Place )
Festival
People keep fasts to impress Goddess on the eight day of full moon in the month of May and it is also believed that on that day Goddess Ragniya changes the color of the spring on this auspicious day. If the color of the spring changes to black, it is a sign of disaster in the valley. During Navratri and annual festivals the temple organization organizes fairs and yaganas which attract numbers of devotees. Hawans are also organised in Kheer Bhawani on Shukla Paksh Ashtami.
How To Reach
By Air: The nearest airport from Kheer Bhawani is Srinagar Airport and the distance from the airport is 47 Km.
By Train: The nearest railway station from Ganderbal district is Jammu Railway Station and the distance from the Jammu railway station is 295 kms and from Udhampur railway station the distace is 221 kms to Ganderbal District of Srinagar.
By Road: The distance from Srinagar to Kheer Bhawani Temple is about 25-27 Kms.
Photo Gallery
Our Review
When we went to visit this temple the mela was going there. We stayed there for 3 days and each day number of devotees came there to offer there prayers and some also had bath in the bathing ghat. In the evening people used to chant bhagans and the sound of dolki gave a sort of peace to our soul. There’s an old and large chinar tree around the temple under which people sit and could also see shape of Indian map, which is made through the leaves, branches and twigs of the trees naturally when someone look on the sky above us.