PAMPORE: Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits attended the annual festival at Mata Jawala Ji temple in Khrew area of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The festival is celebrated to observe the birthday of Shri Jawala Mata Ji.
Eyewitness told Kashmir Reader that a number of Kashmiri Pandits from J&K and other various parts of the country thronged the famous Jawala Shri Ji temple in Khrew to Celebrate the annual festival known as Haar Tshodah.
A Retired Army Brigadier from Jaipur and a number of Army officers and soldiers also paid visit to the shrine where they offered prayers.
Local Muslims of Khrew and adjoining areas also participated in the festival and greets the pandit community.
The devotees were happy with the arrangements of the Administration.
The Kashmiri Pandits thanked local Muslims, Revenue Department, Municipal Committee Khrew, PHE, Health, Police and Army officials for making elaborate arrangements for devotees.
50 Rashtriya Rifles of Indian army organised a langer and a medical camp for devotees at Jawalaji temple.
“This function is observed once a day on birth day of Shri Mata Jawala Ji in July. I have been participating in this festival since 2004, RR organises a langar and do Hawan,” Retired Army Brigadier from Jaipur, Shikhawat told Kashmir Reader, adding he came from Jaipur.
Shikhawat was posted at Shar Shali Khrew in 2004 and during that period he looked after the army’s langar and Hawan for three years. served
He told Kashmir Reader that local people from all surrounding villages celebrate with the festival together and that it depicts love and friendship between different communities.
He said that they prayed for peace and prosperity for the people of Kashmir.
” Peace is gradually returning and soon we will celebrate this festival in the same spirit of mutual brotherhood that was prevailing 35 years ago,” he said.
He said that he has a number of friends in Kashmir and he greeted them on Eid two days back.
He also appealed to others for visiting Kashmir.
A religious congregation is held every year on the day of Arshrad Chaturdashi (Haare Choodeh) in which thousands of Hindus across the country take part. Mela Jawalaji is held on the 14th day of the bright fortnight of Ahada (July-August). Every year the birthday of Goddess Jawalaji is celebrated on Ashad Shukla Chaturdashi, also known as Jawala Chaturdashi,a member of Jawalaji temple Ravi Ji said.
Today , a grand festival was held,hundreds of devotees thronged the shrine and have blessings of Mata Jawal Ji. Kashmiri pandits throughout the valley visited the shrine and took part in religious prayers.
The civil administration including revenue department,PHE, Health, Town Area Committee,police, army, social organisations who provided all support in grand success of Khrew yatra. Naib Tehsildar Pampore Javaid Ahmad Bhat Tehsil official Mir Murwat Hussian, Municipal Committee Khrew officials and other field staff of revenue department also participated in the day long Festival.
We appreciate the role of civil administration especially Tehsildar Pampore Zubair Ahmad Bhat (KAS) alongwith Tehsil official Mir Murwat Hussian and his team who provided all assistance of concerned departments and stand shoulder to shoulder with us in organising this festival with great religious fervour and gaiety, Ravi Ji told Kashmir Reader.
Meanwhile, Member Parliament, Justice ( Retired ) Hasnain Masoodi, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Baseer-Ul-Haq Choudhary SSP Awantipora Mohammad Yousuf, Tehsildar Pampore Zubair Ahmad Bhat visited the Jawala Ji Temple and greeted the Pandit community.
Member Parliament and NC’s senior leader Hasnain Masoodi during the visit the temple told Kashmir Reader that this is an important day on which birthday of Mata Jawala Ji is observed.
” This is my routine to come here and celebrate this festival together,” he said, adding that this festival belongs to all people of the locality and they celebrate it together in a spirit of communal harmony.
He added that he was happy to see a number of Kashmiri Pandits paying obeisance at the temple.

BILAL HABIB