Srinagar, Jun 20 (KNS): Kashmiri Pandits on Wednesday thronged the Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmulla in Ganderbal district for the annual Zeshta Ashtami festival.
Mela Kheer Bhawani is the most important festival of Kashmiri pandits, associated with the Hindu Goddess Ragnya Devi.
Chanting religious hymns, the devotees congregated at the temple and paid their obeisance, with the local Muslims making all the arrangements like providing the material for offerings.
The state administration had made elaborate arrangements for the festival.
Besides, the locals Muslims had made special arrangements for the devotees who thronged to the shrine with erecting stalls on the roadsides, providing drinking water and food stuff to the devotees.
“This is a festival of Hindus but what I saw here is an example of brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims,” said Veena Kumar, a Kashmiri Pandit, who is currently residing in Jammu.
A number of officials and politicians visited the shrine and paid obeisance there.
Earlier, Governor N N Vohra, National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah and vice-president, Omar Abdullah, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, Jammua dn Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief, G A Mir, Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid and others had extended warm greetings to the people on the eve of the festival and also prayed for the peace and prosperity of the State. (KNS)