Mata Kheer Bhawani- a patron deity of Kashmir

Kheer Bhawani/Ksheer Bhawani is a temple dedicated to the Maharagnya Bhagwati constructed over a sacred spring. The temple is associated with goddess Ragyna Devi who is also worshipped as Raginya or Kheer Bhawani and is an incarnation of Durga Bhagvati.

The worship of Kheer Bhawani is universal among the Hindus of Kashmir,most of them who worship her as their protective patron deity (Kuladevi). The term kheer refers to rice pudding that is offered in the spring to propitiate the Goddess, which became part of the name of the temple.

History- MahaRagniya Bhagwati, in (Sri) Lanka the Mother Goddess was called Shayama, was pleased with the devotion of Ravana and appeared before him and Ravana got an image of the Goddess installed in Sri Lanka. The Goddess became displeased with the vicious and licentious life of Ravana and so didn’t want to stay in Lanka. Therefore, instructed Lord Hanuman to get the image from Lanka and install it at the holy spot of Tulmul. In Lanka Maa Shayama Bhagwati was seated in the ‘Taamsik’ roopa. But before leaving Lanka Goddess abandoned Taamsik roopa & in Kashmir Goddess Raginya is worshipped in Vaishnava roopa / Sattavie form of Mother Goddess, i.e. the form of tranquility&bliss. The night during which Mother Goddess came from (Sri) Lanka to Kashmir was named Ragniya Ratri.

In Kashmir a number of shrines are dedicated to Mother Goddess at Devsar, Tiker, Bhuvaneshvar, Manzgam, Logripura(Lokutpur), Mani-gam, Rai-than and Baed-pur, but the Shrine at Tulmul is the most famous one and hence the focus of yatris. Spirituality, devotion & gaiety mark the day of Mela Kheer Bhawani.

On Jyesth Massa Shukla paksh ashtami (eighth day of full moon) is an annual festival day and also known as Mela Kheer Bhawani. The devotees of the Goddess Mata Kheer Bhawani fast and gather here on this Ashtami day of Jyestha Masa Shukal Paksh. According to belief, the Goddess changes the colour of the spring’s waters, which are ascribed to different manifestations of the Goddess Mata Kheer Bhawani.

The mention of Kheer Bhawani is found in Kalhana’s Rajtarangini and the spring of Maharagnya has been considered very sacred and spiritually very powerful. Thousands of years ago, many floods occurred in Kashmir and the sacred spring of Tula Mula was inundated under its sway and the holy place could nowhere be traced. At last, Kashmir’s Yogi Pandit Krishan Joo Thaploo of Srinagar had a dream in which the Goddess appeared to him and directed that a naga (snake) will show him the way and at the proper place he should stick large poles to demarcate the holy spot in the marsh land. Subsequently, when the water subsided there the holy spot was discovered.

The name of the spring is Mata Ragini Kund (pond). Abu’l-Fazl in his book Aini-Akbari mentions the area of Tula Mula extending over a region of hundred bighas (unit of land area) of land, which used to sink in the marshy lands during the summer season.

Jagadguru AdiShankrachrya and also saints Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Vivekananda also visited here to have the darshan of the place. Swami Vivekananda visited Kashmir. During his stay at TulMul, while ritually worshipping Kheer Bhawani, he had the thought: he was astonished by the colour change at that time and cited it as a miracle.

A unique septagonal spring dedicated to Goddess Kheer Bhawani flows from west (sheer or head section) to the east(padh or feet). The holy spring is known to change its colour with various hues of red, pink, orange, green, blue, white, etc.

Abode of Mata Ragyna survived Sikander Butshikan who destroyed many famous temples in kashmir.

Seeking mata’s blessings for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits & the suffering people of the whole world. Zyeashta Ashtami greetings to Hindu Community in the 33 year of forced exile. May Maharagyna Devi bless all humanity with peace & prosperity.

Tula Mulla, abode of Maharagyna Devi, I bow in your lotus feet, may my soul become as pure & fragrant as the holy spring which surrounds you.

महा राज्ञी भगवती सदा भवतु प्रसन्ना।।

ॐ सूकर्णाय विद्यम्हे,

भानू रतनाय धीमहि,

तन्नो राज्ञी प्रचोदयात।।

Rahul Kilam