Srinagar, May 31 (IANS) Adequate security arrangements have been put in place for the upcoming Mela Kheer Bhawani in J&K’s Ganderbal district, an official said on Saturday.

The annual Mela of Mata Kheer Bhawani, being celebrated on June 3, is the holiest local festival for the Kashmir Pandit community.

The spring shrine in Tullamulla town of Ganderbal district, 25 km from Srinagar city, is dedicated to the deity Ragnya Devi, the reincarnation of goddess Durga.

Local Kashmiri Pandits believe that the colour of the water at the goddess’s spring in Tullamulla foretells the coming events in J&K and the rest of the country. The pink or milky colour of the spring water is believed to be suspicious, while the dark black colour spells bad days ahead.

Elders in Tullamulla town say that in 1947, when the tribals invaded Kashmir, the water at the deity’s spring had turned black.

V.K. Birdi, IGP (Kashmir), visited the temple shrine on Saturday to take stock of the security arrangements for hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit devotees who come to the shrine from different parts of the country.

The IGP told reporters at the shrine that comprehensive preparations have been made to ensure a safe and smooth event for devotees. He said that a large number of pilgrims are expected to attend the festival.

“Extensive arrangements have been made to ensure that the devotees do not face any inconvenience and their security remains a top priority. Robust deployment and logistical support are in place to manage the crowd efficiently,” he said.

In response to concerns arising from the recent Pahalgam attack, the IGP emphasised that the security setup for such events is always meticulously reviewed and reinforced.

He reassured that measures adopted during last year’s mela, which saw an incident-free gathering, would be mirrored and further strengthened this year.

He further added that similar vigilance is being implemented for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, with routine threat assessments and area sanitisation underway.

“We remain committed to the safety of every pilgrim”, the IGP added.

–IANS

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