Kheer Bhawani Devi at Tulmul Ganderbal in Kashmir
Last month, I was inSrinagarfor a Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Conclave. This was my opportunity to visit temples in and around Srinagar. Though I visitedKheer Bhawaniin the end, she is the first one I am writing about. Maybe it is the aura that I carried back with me. I also think it was the absolute peace I felt at her small temple surrounded by tall trees.Who is Kheer Bhawani?Well, her real name and form is Ragnya or Maharagnya Devi. It is the second name of the Devi mentioned inLalita Sahasranama. Her form is that of an empress that rules the world. In other words, she is the one who sustains the world after it has been created by her in the form of a mother. At some point in time, she would also dissolve this creation back into where it came from. However, this form is sustained by nurturing and growing and providing everything we need to lead a good life.She is one of the few Satvik Devis in Kashmir, and she loves Kheer. Every morning fresh Kheer is prepared for her, which is first offered to her and then savored by the devotees as Prasad.Sri Maharagnya DeviIt is believed that no one can enter the temple after consuming alcohol or meat. People at the temple told me many stories of how those who tried to come, could never reach the temple of the Devi. I tree branch fell on someone or someone suddenly fainted as they tried reaching the temple inside the premises.Like all divine mothers, she also fulfills all the wishes of her devotees. Temple board also tells us that she loves to bless scholars and those who are pursuing higher learning. No wonder many appearing for different exams come to take her blessings.Legends of Kheer BhawaniIt is said that she was the Kuldevi of Asura king Ravana inSri Lanka. He worshiped her as Maharagnyi Devi and she blessed him with all kinds of prosperity. She was unhappy with Ravana for his adharmic acts during the time of the Ramayan or Ram-Ravan battle. She left Sri Lanka and ordered Hanuman ji to take her to Satisar in the Himalayas.Satisar is an old name of Kashmir. She then came and settled in Kashmir valley at the base of a Tul tree. The place came to be known as Tulmul or simply the root of the Tul tree. The village still is known by the same name.NagasIt is also said that she brought 360 Nagas or serpents with her, who continue to reside in the pond surrounding her temple. They can be seen as and when the pond is cleaned during festivals.Pond is called Amrit Kunda and the Nagas occupy different positions within this kunda. Ganapati, Bhimraj, and Kumar reside at the door of this kunda. Ashta Naga devatas reside at the center of the kunda towards the east. These 8 Naga devatas include Vasuki, Takshak, Neel, Mahapadma Nagas, and others. In the middle is the Anantnaga surrounded by a thousand nagas with two thousand eyes and as many tongues. Maharagnya Devi sits on top of a thousand-petaled lotus on top of Anant Naga.If you understand Kundalini, this temple represents the Sahasrara or the crown chakra where the Devi sits on a thousand-petalled lotus at the end of a serpent coil. Remember, geographically, this is also the top tip of the Indian subcontinent.It is a small spring-fed pond with distinctly milky blue waters, which has its own legends.The milky blue color of the water is probably due to all the milk that is offered to her by the devotees. However, the blue color is surprising as it almost looks like a modern-day swimming pool in an upmarket place. If this color is unusual, the story of the change in color is even more unusual.Water Changes ColorThey say that every time a calamity is about to hit Kashmir, the color of this pond gets a reddish tinge. The bigger the calamity, the stronger is the shade of red in this pond. I am not sure if we can understand these phenomena rationally but there is ample evidence available to validate this claim. The Temple board says that pink and green color indicates an auspicious omen while red and black indicate an inauspicious one. The people though claim to have seen mostly shades of red and they have a violent incident to correlate with each of these occurrences. A British official also noticed a violet color in the pond.Incidentally, the Kashmiri word for springs is also Naga, and this temple is indeed surrounded by many of them. Some also interpret Nagas or serpents to be present here in Jal-Rupa or in the form of water, which probably takes a serpentine route.As I wrote in my bookLotus In The Stoneour temples and sacred spaces stored a lot of coded information. We may not understand them, but they were both practical and mystical. This one would fall in the category of being mystical.History of Kheer Bhawani TempleTill the middle of 19thCE, the temple was surrounded by marshes. People have to walk over reeds to visit it. One day a Brahmin called Govindraj Gadoo had a vision of the serpent goddess here. He took a boat and some milk and reached this place. He offered milk and I assume this is how the tradition of offering milk to the Devi would have started.The present temple was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1912 CE, making it more than 100 years old, but the place is ancient. It was later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh. Before them, Maharaja Ranbir Singh had built a Dharamshala here.I was told that Swai Vivekananda spent a night here in this temple during his Kashmir visit. The oldest mention of the temple goes back to Bhrigu Samhita and Kalhana’s Rajatarangini.The temple stands in the middle of a hexagonal spring in white marble. It is a tiny temple that is viewed from a mandapa across the pond. The priest puts a plank to reach the temple only to offer prasad and do Arti. The rest of the time, the temple stands alone in the water.All devotees sit in the mandapa, which is large, and offer everything from there.Visiting the TempleI drove out of Srinagar early morning, both to avoid the made tourist traffic of the city as well as to have ample time at the temple. As soon as we stepped out of Srinagar and entered the Ganderbal district, we saw a meandering Sindhu River.I have seen Sindhu or Indus River inLadakh, where it is pristine blue. Here you meet her just before she is about to merge with Vitasta, meandering and moving like a shy young girl. It looks beautiful. The temple comes a little after you meet the river.At the temple entrance, I had to provide ID proof to enter and go through the security check. I hope this goes away someday and we can fearlessly visit the Devi whose hand is always raised in Abhaya mudra, meant to protect us.Just outside the temple arch, is a canal-like pond. On either side are the bathing ghats for men and women. Early morning, many people were taking baths and it gave me solace that the temple traditions were being followed.Arch at the entrance ofKheer Bhawani TempleThe Arch reads a shloka and the Bija mantra of Maharagnya Devi.After the arch, I was in a fairly large compound where small temples in red and yellow were present. My first visual here was that of an elderly person being carried on a Doli or a palanquin by his family and taken around the temple. It instantly told me about the deep spiritual significance the temple holds for its devotees.Maharagnya Devi TempleI proceeded to the main temple first, circuiting the blue pond. I will never forget the divine darshan of the Devi who is sitting here along with Shiva. It is not often we see them together at one place. In front of them is a Gaddi. Adorned with Shringar, what stands out in her Vigraha is her eyes, full of compassion.Small Temples inKheer BhawaniComplexThe temple complex has small temples dedicated to Shiva, Krishna, Hanuman, and Durga. There are many small red miniature temples where some ancient stones are worshiped. It is difficult to figure out who these deities are, except some Naga figures that are visible. Tall Chinar trees surround the temple. You almost feel protected by them, cut off from the tensions that surround the air in the valley.In the small kitchen, Kheer was being prepared for the morning prasad. One person was pounding dry fruits while the other was chopping coconut to go with it. In a while, I would taste this as prasad.I sat down for about an hour doing my Puja. I saw people coming with a Thali full of Halwa and offering it to Sri Maharagnya Devi and then offering it to everyone present there. It turned out to be my heavy breakfast that day.Just walking around the temple, I wanted to spend some more time, but maybe another time. I am so happy I visited her.Outside the temple, there is a lane of prasad shops with a dominant red color.Annual Yatra FestivalsThe annual Yatra ofKheer Bhawanitakes place on Jyeshtha Shukla Ashtmani and falls around June. Many devotees, especially for families who worship her as Kuldevi, visit during this time.JK Dharmarth Trust runs this temple as well as the Yatra. They make adequate arrangements to accommodate Yatris visiting the temple.In fact, Shukla Ashtami every month is special at this temple, and many devotees visit on this day.During theAmarnathYatra, arrangements are made for the pilgrims to have a night halt or a food stop at theKheer Bhawani temple.Travel TipsTulMul is about 25-30 km away from Srinagar. It takes about an hour to reach the place. Taxis are easily available to take you there.You need an hour or so to see and experience the temple. Mornings are always a good time to visit.Respect the rules of the temple. Do not visit it after consuming meat or alcohol.During winter months, the temple gets a lot of snowfall.Manasbal Lake and the ancient Shiva TempleManasbal Lake and an ancient 9thCE temple of Shiva are also closeby and can easily be done along withKheer Bhawani temple. The lake is surrounded by beautiful mountains, full of Shikaras and lovely pink lotuses. It is considered the deepest freshwater lake in Asia. The name suggests a connection with Lake Mansarovar close to Kailash Parvat in Tibet.
