Displaced Kashmiri Pandits planning to pay obeisance at the revered Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district will leave on June 5, an official said.
Divisional commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar on Saturday reviewed the arrangements to facilitate smooth pilgrimage, he added.
The annual Mata Kheer Bhawani mela at the famous Ragnya Devi temple, one of the biggest religious functions of the displaced community, will be held on June 7.
Kumar chaired a high level meeting and a threadbare discussion was held regarding various arrangements including transportation facilities for devotees and security arrangements, an official spokesman said.
According to the Mata Kheer Bhawani Committee, this year the yatra will leave Nagrota here on June 5 to facilitate the pilgrims to attend the religious Pooja and prayers on Mela Day on June 7.
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Nestled in the shade of mammoth Chinar trees in Tulmulla village of Ganderbal, the temple usually witness a massive gathering of devotees, most of them Kashmiri Pandits, who come from across the country.
“The Yatra would be flagged off from Nagrota amid tight security,” the spokesman said, adding the Divisional Commissioner directed the Assistant Relief Commissioner and J&K Road Transport Corporation to deploy an adequate number of buses to ferry the pilgrims to the temple.
Kumar also issued directions for traffic regulation and foolproof security arrangements by deploying squad vehicles for the safety of the pilgrims.
He directed the Health department to establish medical camps and make arrangements for ambulances at Old toll plaza Nagrota, the spokesman said.
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The Divisional Commissioner also instructed Deputy Commissioner Ramban to make ‘langer’ (community kitchen) arrangements at the designated places along Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, besides ensuring deployment of road clearance machinery in case of landslides.
(With PTI inputs)
