Huge rush of devotees witnessed after 30 years
PAMPORE: The annual festival of Mata Jawala Ji was celebrated with religious fervour at Khrew area of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday. The festival is celebrated to observe the birthday of Shri Jawala Mata Ji.
It was after 30 years that devotees in huge numbers visited the shrine to pay their obeisance.
A large number of Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir and other various parts of the country thronged the famous Shri Jawala Ji temple Khrew to celebrate the annual festival known as Haar Tshodah.
The local Muslims of Khrew and adjoining areas also participated in the festival and greets the Pandit community on the occasion.
Tehsildar Pampore Zuber Ahmad Bhat and Member Parliament, Justice (Retired) Hasnain Masoodi also visited the Jawala Ji Temple Khrew and greeted Pandit Community on the occasion.
On the occasion, langars were established by different volunteers and army personnel and local youth from the Muslim community provided fruits and water bottles to the devotees. Kashmiri Pandits thanked local Muslims, Sikh Community, Revenue Department, Municipal Committee Khrew, PHE, Police and Army officials for making elaborate arrangements for devotees.
Thousands of devotees thronged the Mata Jawala Ji Darbar and for last two days on the day of Ashard Chaturdashi Puja Archna was done with religious rituals.
The arrangements of langer and other arrangements were made by different Karsevaks. The Karsevaks under the leadership of social activist Avinash Bhat made necessary arrangements for langar, besides Army unit Khrew also distributed prasad and fruits to the devotees.
Ravi Ji Bhat, General Secretary of Swami Jeewan Sahib Mandir Prabandhak Trust Ladhoo along with other Karsevaks were managing the overall yatra arrangements.
The People’s Welfare Trust Khrew headed by Rayees Ahmad gave a warm welcome to the devotees, they were distributing drinking water bottles.
This year, the Khrew Yatra became successful with the collaboration of different local Kashmiri Pandit Karsevaks Mandir Committees belonging to Swami Jeewan Sahib Mandir Prabandhak Trust Ladhoo, Mandir Committee Wuyan, Baladevi Asthapan committee Balhama, Sedeshwar Temple Committee Pampore, and Jawala Ji Samiti Khrew under the president MK Raina.
The Tehsil administration, Municipal Committee Khrew, PHE department, Army, Police, CRPF, and locals took overall part in the successful conduct of the Khrew Yatra, Ravi Ji Bhat told Kashmir Reader.
Talking to Kashmir Reader Maharaj Krishan Raina, President Jawala Ji Samiti, said that a huge rush of devotees was seen at the shrine after 30 years. He said that apart from Hindus, youth from the Muslim community also participated in the festival by providing water bottles to devotees.
Talking to Kashmir Reader, Hasnain Masoodi said he visited the shrine to greet his Pandit brothers on the festival. “This is not only a religious event but a part of our common culture,” he said, adding that it is common for Hindus, Muslims and people from other faith to visit this temple in huge numbers. He termed this event a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity.
Chairman People’s Welfare Trust Khrew told Kashmir Reader that Kashmir is known for communal harmony.
“Pandit brothers are part and parcel of our community, we are incomplete without them,” he said, adding that they follow the same customs and traditions and possess the same identity.