Tulmul or Kheer Bhawani temple
Tulmul or Kheer Bhawani temple, is one of the most popular and holiest Hindu temples of Kashmir. The shrine is dedicated to the worship of Bhawani, the Divine Mother or Goddess of this Universe. Tulmul is situated at a distance of around twenty-four kilometers from Srinagar in the district Ganderbal, towards the north of the city.
During the Hindu era, Tulmul was a place of great learning. The holy spring in the middle of which the temple of Maharajni (Divine Goddess) is positioned, is located on the bank of a branch of the river Sindh. The holy spring has a pentagonal shape with the apex called Paad(feet) situated to the east. The northern and southern sides are longer than the western side, which is called Sher or head. It is shaped like AUM(OM) in the Sarada script. Mention about Kheer Bhawani Shrine is found in famous historian Kalhana’s (12th Century) Rajtarangini. Kalhana writes that the sacred spring of Tulmul is situated in marshy ground. The Brahmins of Kashmir worship this spring and pilgrims from every corner of the country visit Kashmir to have the darshan/sight of this place. The mention of this temple is also corroborated in Abu-i-Fazal’s book Aini-Akbari in which is written that the area of Tulmul extended over the area of hundred Bighas of land, which got sunk in the summer season and formed into a marsh. Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Vivekananda also visited this place to have the darshan of the place. With the pouring of milk and throwing of sugar candy in the spring by the pilgrims, a thick and solid layer was formed at its bottom. When it was cleared, the ruins of an old temple and shrine slabs engraved with figures were discovered. Here many images were also found but nobody rebuilt the temple till 1907 when Maharaja Pratap Singh who was the disciple and worshipped this goddess, got a marvelous temple of marble made in the midst of the spring which shines like a pearl in a shell.
Some people are of the opinion that there was a mulberry tree near the holy spot of Kheer Bhawani which, in the Kashmiri language, is called Tul Mul. But Tul Mul is also derived from the Sanskrit phrase- Atul-Mulya- that is of great value. This means that all other pilgrim centers are of lesser value than this one. The significance of this shrine not to be found elsewhere is that the water of the Spring changes its colour from time to time. It takes on various hues like red, pink, orange, green, blue and has often light green, red, rosy and milky-white shades throughout the year. Abul Fazal in 16th century and Swami Vivekananda in the year 1894 have testified this fact. Any shade of black colour is supposed to be inauspicious for the inhabitants of the valley.It is said that this blackish color was prominent in the year 1947 when the Pakistani raiders attacked the peaceful valley and also in 1990 when mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits took place.
An Annual Festival of Goddess Kheer-Bhawani is celebrated every year on the eighth day of the full moon in the month of May/ June. The devotees of the Goddess Mata Kheer Bhawani observe fast and gather at this holy shrine. This year the annual festival falls on 12th June 2016. The offerings to the Goddess in the form of milk, candy, flowers etc. are usually provided by the local Muslims to the devotees which, undoubtedly, denotes and highlights the feeling of religious harmony in the strife-torn valley of Kashmir.
June Eight, 22 was celebrated by the Kashmiri Pandit community as the auspicious day of Goddess Ksheer Bhawani at its abode near village Tula Mula in Kashmir. Tulmul or Kheer Bhawani temple is one of the most popular and holiest Hindu temples of Kashmir. The shrine is dedicated to the worship of Bhawani, the Divine Mother or Goddess of this Universe. Tulmul is situated at around twenty-four kilometers from Srinagar in the district Ganderbal, towards the north of the city.
The significance of this shrine, not to be found elsewhere, is that the water of the holy spring situated in the campus of the temple, changes its colour from time to time. It takes on various hues like red, pink, orange, green, blue and has often light green, red, rosy, and milky-white shades throughout the year. Abul Fazal in the 16th century and Swami Vivekananda in the year 1894 have testified this fact. Any shade of black colour is supposed to be inauspicious for the inhabitants of the valley. It is said that this blackish or tarnished color was prominent in 1947 when the Pakistani raiders attacked the peaceful valley and in 1990 when mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits took place.
An Annual Festival of Goddess Kheer-Bhawani is celebrated every year on the Eighth day of the full moon in the month of May/June. The devotees of the Goddess Mata Kheer Bhawani observe fast and gather at this holy shrine. The offerings to the Goddess in the form of milk, candy, flowers etc. are usually provided by the local Muslims to the devotees which, undoubtedly, denotes and highlights the feeling of religious harmony in the strife-torn valley of Kashmir.
