Ganderbal, Jan 4: Recreating a buzz and fanfare, nearly 1.5 lakh pilgrims visited the revered Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmulla area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district during 2025. As per official data, nearly 1.5 lakh pilgrims visited and paid obeisance at Kheer Bhawani last year.
According to official figures 214,181 devotees from across India visited the shrine between January and December 2025.
The data shows fluctuations in attendance throughout the year. In January, the number stood at 4447, gradually increasing to 4722 in February. The figures rose sharply in March and April, reaching 16894 and 22446, respectively. May recorded a slight sharp to 3609, followed by a significant jump in June to 28675 and 30058 in July. Subsequently, the numbers started to decline, with August at 8462 . Attendance continued to decrease in the latter months, with September at 5831, October at 7827, November at 4608, and December closing the year at 4265 .
Notably, thousand of devotees throng Kheer Bhawani temple associated with the Ragnya Devi, a revered goddess of Kashmiri Pandits, located in Tulmulla village of Ganderbal district every year to attend the annual mela and participate in the Kheer Bhawani Mela, which is one of the Kashmiri Pandits’ biggest religious annual events.
Pilgrims from different parts of the country visited the temple throughout the year, especially during major religious occasions. The smooth movement of devotees, peaceful atmosphere, and improved arrangements were widely appreciated. Many visitors described their experience as safe, comfortable, and spiritually uplifting. Local residents are also contributing here, ensuring that pilgrims have the best possible experience, reflecting the selfless service of these individuals to devotees from various parts of the country.
Some visitors even reconnect with those who used to be their neighbours long ago when they lived here. Locals mentioned that the increased number of pilgrims has led to a boost in economic activities around the temple, creating employment opportunities for the local population. The Civil Society Tulmulla warmly welcomed this massive turnout and openly applauded the district administration, police, and all line departments for their dedicated efforts. General Secretary of Civil Society Tulmulla, Manzoor Wani said that the large number of pilgrims reflects the deep-rooted spirit of brotherhood, patriotism, peace, and communal harmony in the area. He added that Tulmulla has once again shown that faith brings people together beyond religion or region.
Chief Patron of Civil Society Tullamulla, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, also shared his views and hopes for the future. He further urged the government to upgrade infrastructure and basic facilities to meet the growing needs of pilgrims and tourists. Zahoor Bhat emphasised that Tullamulla has immense potential to grow as a major tourist and pilgrimage hub.