Located at a meager distance of just 27 kms from the state capital of Srinagar, The Kheer Bhawani Temple at Tullamula is a beautiful and sacred hindu temple surrounded by streams and an array of pine trees. Taking its name freom the Indian Sweet Dish called Kheer. It is believed and followed that only kheer is offered to the reigning deity at this temple. Dedicated in the worship of Ragnya Devi, This temple was actually commissioned in 1912 by the highly Respected Maharaja Pratap Singh 2, Later, The Kheer Bhawani temle was renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh. The goddess is represented by a spring that lies there in a hexagonal shape. People believe that when Lord Ram was exiled He used this place for worship. Once the exile came to an end,Lord Hanuman shifted the goddesses’ idol to its current area which is at Shadipora. Legend also has it that the traditional color of Kheer turns black which is an indicator of bad times ahead. On the 8th Full Moon Night in May, believers offer salutations in huge numbers. To mark that blessed day, locals assert that Goddess also transforms the water’s colos.

Kheer Bhawani Temle is constructed in the honor of Goddess Kheer Bhawani who is actually just Bhawani .One common practice amongst the Kashmiri Hindus is that of the devotion of this goddess. Lying on the small village of TulaMula away from the state capital, The Kheer in the name of this temple relates to a special sweet meat which is rendered to the hexagonal spring to please the goddess . Following the pattern of several Hindu Gods, Thes goddess too is also blessed with several names like: Ragnya Devi, Ragnya Bhagwati, Maharagya Devi, Rajni, and many more.

About Kheer Bhawani Temple

The Kheer Bhawani temple continues as the most significant shrine believed by the believers of ancient religion of the Vedas. In the region of Kashmir, They are called as the Kashmiri Pandits.The temple if also surrounded by beautiful and clear stones, besides there are age old trees of the chinar that surmount the lush lawns where the devotees sit. Although the color do not carry any specific significance as such, but the springs often find the color of their water changed. If the water turns to darker shades, The indication is that there are some troublesome time for Kashmir.A weird dark or purplish tinge was observed by the the British officer Walter in the year of 1886 . Kashmiris assert that they saw a grayish or misty shade in the water very soon prior to the murder of Indira Gandhi and when the vally faced insurgency in the year 89.

History

Legend asserts that after being impressed by the spirit of devotion of Ravana, Maharagya appeared in front of him and hence the former established her image and idol in the region if present day Sri Lanka When Ravana adopted a displeasing life of falsehood, The Goddess was distressed and didn’t intend to stay back in Lanka. Hence, Lord Hanumana, After being instructed took the idol from there and placed it in Tulamula.

The Kheer Bhawani is also mentioned in the Rajtarangini by Kalhana who wrote about the situation and location of Tula Mula’s spring. The spring is called Mata Ragini Kund (pond).

One of Durga Bhagvati’s form is the Maharagini . The Kashmiri Brahmans adore and devote themselves to this spiral and devotees hailing from all comers of India come here to find a darshan of the place.

The sacredness of the spring of the TulaMula temple and the blessed powers of the Brahmans residing and following the idea of Tulamula is talked about In the Rajtarangini. Ages Back, a lot of floods happened in Kashmir . Moreover the holy spring at Tula Mula was flooded by its wave the place of worship had totally vanished. Finally, Yogi Krishna Pandit, Kashmir;s own son dreamts when the goddess paid him a visit and instructed him about the fact that she would float in a snake’s form on appropriate position and also directed that the Yogi should fix huge pillars or polls to distinguish the Sacred mark in the swamps. later, The holy spoy was found when the water receded back and the floods were over. Even Abul Fazal, the explorer in Akbar;s court also writes down in the Ain e Akbari about Tulamula. He had written this village to be a small settlement of 100 bigas that too one would be submerged in summers.

Swami Vivekananda and Swami Rama Tirtha have also been here to seek blessings and darshan.

once upon a time, Due to never-ending contribution of sugar and milk to the spring by believers, a fat coating of contributions had collected on the bas eof the figure.After the clearing of the same, the remains on some old slabs imprinted with several images were found. Altohough several idols and images were also discovered in the site, No body till the year 1969 initiated ist uplifting untill Maharaja Pratap Singh a devotee of the Goddess, grenovated the area of spring within the temple that makes it bow oof stunning and gorgeousand was finished in the 1920s. Tum Mul also has an interesting ideology, Locals assert that the presence of a mylberry tree was called Tummuk. Others assert that Tum Mul is a derivative of words in Sanskrit like atulya mulya which means that if great value. Legend around the offering of Kheer is the belief that ravana offered the Kheer to the goddess after the comoketion ioif his devotion.

Getting There and Around

By Air

Srinagar on the other hand has an enhanced connectivity through its airport that links Srinagar with the various airports across the country. Delhi,Chandigarh, Mumbai etc are all connected through Srinagar with a string of flights which are not expensive.Lying at a distance of 876 kms from the national capital at Delhi, The city of Srinagar is also connected through connecting international flights with a stop at Delhi..

By Rail

When approaching Srinagar by train, One must get off at the Jammu station which is 290 kms from the capital city. Jammu though has an excellent connectivity of trains particularly from Chennai, Delhi, Trivandrum and Bangalore which have direct connectivity to Jammu from where cabs and buses can be hired to reach Srinagar..

By Road

The Natinal Highway 1 – A connect Srinagar with the rest of the world

Accommodation

Srinagar is a tourist hotspot and hence has hotels fro every pocket, Once there, Hotels can be easily found.

Mela Kheer Bhawani- The Annual Festival

The Goddess presides over her believers as they gather, upholding their fast on the 8th day following the full moon in May. Kashmir also observes a state wide holiday on that day. The day is celebrated as people believe that it was this day that the presiding Goddess indulges in changing the spring water’s colour. With colors having some significance, The water getting darker is a signal for the worse time to come.

People assert that in 1990 when the Kashmiri Pundits had to go through te exodus, A black shape had taken over the water.

People believe in the story that a total of 360 springs flowed near the holdy spring but they soon vanished as the marshy land increased.

In the last half century the pilgrimage has become the most important for Kashmiri Brahmans who come here from all over the State and even from outside. Kheer Bhawani is considered to be the Presiding Deity of most of the Kashmiri Brahmans.

Legends

There are several stories and legend that explain the spring and its relevance.One of them revolves aroung the time when Lord Rama destroyed the demon king Ravan, the presiding goddess asked Lord Hanuman to bring herself and the Nagas to Satisar in the Kashmir Valley. Hanuman elected the place and established Goddess Bhawani in this part of Kashmir. Considereing the goddess is mostly offered the rice meal called Kheer, She came to be known as the Kheer Bhawani.

The place was flooded and was revived after a devotee of hers found the place in a dream

Best Time to Visit

The State of jammu Kashmir is known the world over for its freezing winters. The summers on the contrary are pleasant hence one should try to be there from April - October

Accommodation

Srinagar is a tourist hotspot and hence has hotels fro every pocket, Once there, Hotels can be easily found.