[Reader-list] ART & CULTURE - The Holy Shrine of Kheer Bhawani

[Pawan Durani]

The Holy Shrine of Kheer Bhawani

>From ancient times, the shrines, centres of worship and maths have
played an important role in the lives of the people. These are the
centres of the community life and have also enchanced the national
integration. Moreover, the religious shrines have influenced our
spiritual education and have been a source of inspiration. At present,
too, pilgrims in lakhs go to the holy spots to worship with full
faith.

KhirBhawani, Tulla Mulla (URL)
The area of Jammu and Kashmir is the abode of gods and goddesses and
famous for scenic beauty. The temple of Kheer Bhawani and the pilgrim
centre of Maharagya Devi is situated at a distance of 14 miles east of
Srinagar against the background of natural sight near the village of
Tula Mula. This temple, made of marble stone, is located in the middle
of a spring, around which there is a vast area whose floor has been
covered with smooth and beautiful stones. In it exist large and old
chinar trees beneath which the pilgrims sit or sleep on mats of grass.
The colour of the spring goes on changing and it is said that whenever
any horrifying and unfortunate event has to happen, the colour of its
water becomes black.
Maharagya Pradurbhave is the history of Kheer Bhawani itself. In it is
written that Maharagya was pleased with the devotion of Ravana and
appeared before him and Ravana got an image of the goddess installed
in Ceylone. But the goddess became displeased with the vicious and
licentious life of Ravana and so didn't want to stay in Ceylone.
Therefore, under the command of the goddess, Hanuman got the image
from Ceylone and installed it at the holy spot of Tula Mulla. In those
days there was a deep relation between Kashmir and Ceylone, therefore
the father of Ravana, Pul Satya Muni, lived in Kashmir and performed
his meditation (tapasya). Walter awrence writes that Kheer Bhawani is
the great goddess of Kashmir and the spring of Kheer Bhawani is
considered very pious but it is little known that the cult of
worshipping this goddess has started from Ceylone.
The hymns and devotional songs of this goddess are found in the
Sanskrit Book Rudrayamala Tantra.
The mention of Kheer Bhawani is found in Kalhana's Rajtarangini.
Kalhana writes that the sacred spring of Tula Mula is situated in a
marshy ground. The name of the spring is Mata Ragini Kund.
Maharagini is the form of Durga Bhagvati. The Brahmins of Kashmir
worship this spring and pilgrims from every comer of the country visit
to have the darshan of the place.
Further, it is written therein that Jayapida who ruled for thirty-one
ears in the last part of the 18th century also founded the town of
Inderkot, This Jayapida confiscated the lands of the Brahmins of Tula
Mula and ninety-nine Brahmins committed suicide for this reason by
jumping in the river; but it had no effect on the king and he did not
return the Brahmins their lands.
One day when the Brahmins of Tula Mula went with a complaint to the
king, the guards of the palace beat them but still they were
successful in sneaking into the palace. They told the king that if the
Brahmins got angry they could unite the earth and sky together and
make the mountains level with the plains and also finish the king.
Hearing this the king became red with anger and rebuffed them by
saying that they were being vicious. Although they lived by begging
they talked like rishis and munis. At this one Brahmin whose name was
Diyannu Attal replied, "if we are not so spiritual as were our
ancestors neither are the kings any longer so great". The king replied
that he was no Vishvamitra or Agnsth. The Brahmin replied that he
could also show prowess like Vishvamitra. Diyannu Attal shouted at the
king, "Oh unfortunate Raja! May goddess destroy you before my very
eyes". So, according to Kalhana, the heavy pole of the throne's canopy
fell down on him and after a few days of great agony he died.
In Rajtarangini Tula Mula is considered very sacred and the Brahmins
of Tula Mula were very great and powerful. The spring of Maharagya was
very sacred. Thousands of years ago many floods occured in Kashmir and
the sacred spring of Tula Mula also was inundated under its sway and
the holy place could nowhere be traced. All around was water. At last
Kashmir's Yogi Krishna Pandit had a dream in which the goddess
appeared to him and ordered that she would swim in the form of a snake
at the proper place and that he should stick large poles and when the
water subsided there the holy spot was discovered. This event happened
during the Samvat 4041.
According to Jona Raja Sikander, the iconoclast destroyed most of the
temples and tried to make this temple as well the target of his
impious action but failed. Kamudi in her book, "Kashmir-Its Cultural
Heritage" writes that this temple remained lost for quite a long
period and no pilgrim visited this place till one Pandit Krishna Taplu
again discovered it and once again its prominence rose and pilgrims
started coming here.
The mention of this temple is also found in Abu-i-Fazal's book
Aini-Akbari in which is written that the area of Tula Mula extended
over the area of hundred bighas of land, which got sunk in the summer
season and formed into a marsh. The advisor of Dara Shuku was Sham
Sunder Koul about whom Shri Balkak Dhar writes in an article that Sham
Lal Koul was a great saint and a devotee of Shakti cult and used to
make the offering of meat and wine to gods and goddesses. When one day
he came to Tula Mula he offered the same things according to the
precepts of his cult but what is astonishing that the meat, etc. were
changed into vegetables.
In his article Mr. Dhar has further written that a devotee Krishna
Kar, who contemplated on this goddess got a high spiritual power. This
very Krishna Kar was the Guru of the famous Rishi leer Pandit Padsha
whose birthplace vas in Batta Yar, Ali Kadal. Both the Hindus and the
Muslims used to come to pay their devotion to the goddess. Swami Rama
Tirtha and Swami Vivekananda also visited here to have the darshan of
the place.
With the pouring of milk and throwing of sugar candy in the spring by
the pilgrims, a thick and solid layer was formed at its bottom. When
it was cleared, the ruins of an old temple and shrine slabs engraved
with figures were discovered. Here many images were also found but
nobody rebuilt the temple till the Samvat 1969 when Maharaja Pratap
Singly who was the disciple and worshipped this goddess, got a
marvellous temple of marble made in the midst of the spring which
shines like a pearl in a shell.
Pandit Aftab Kaul has written in his book "At the Feet of the Master"
that for spiritual knowledge, spiritual perfection and salvation there
are four prescribed stages in a journey from Srinagar to Kheer
Bhawani. First stage is the holy spring of VicharNag; second, is the
Kawaj Nar (the Land of Lire). From Vichar Nag on the right side of the
road is the beautiful Lake of Anchar (Achar) which before the opening
of the motorable road,
was a short-cut and a charming way to Tula Mula. Aftertis the next
stage is one of Tengul Bal (the Hill of the Burning Embers). After
crossing all these stages the pilgrim reaches at the feet of Maharagya
Kheer Bhawani. This is like "Pilgrim's Progress" written by John
Bunyan.
Some people are of the opinion that there was a mulberry tree near
holy spot of Kheer Bhawani which, in Kashmiri, is called Tul Mul. But
Tul Mul is also derived from the Sanskrit phrase-Tul Muli-that is of
great value. This means that all other pilgrim centres are of lesser
value than this one. It is said that after Ravapa fnished the worship
of the goddess he offered the kheer (rice pudding) to the goddess
which she accepted and since then it is called Kheer Bhawani. The
worship of Kheer Bhawani can done under Vedic mantras as well as
Tantric mantras. According to Tantric system, the mantra of Maharagya
Kheer Bhawani is:
Om Heem Shree Kaleem
Bhagvatya Ragya Swaha
All the desires and hopes of a person are fulfilled by repeating this mantra.
The Bhagvati Parvati has got nine forms:
1. Shailputri 2. Vrhama Charini 3. Chander Ganta 4. Kashmandi 5. Kumari
6. Katyayani 7. Kamaratri 8. MataGouri 9. Siddhi Datri.
It is said that Ragya form is more eminent than all other eight ones.
The sacred place of Kheer Bhawani has been the centre of Sanskrit
learning and literature since many ages. The Brahmins of this place
had achieved excellence in religious and yoga knowledge.
The festival of Bhagvati Kheer Bhawani is held in the Ashtami of Jeth
and Har. Therefore, in these two days, crowds of people go there in
buses and doongas. Three or four days before the festival, large
markets come into existence. The road journey to the village from the
Kheer Bhawani is lined with decorated shops containing many things of
common use. The pilgrims before worshipping bathe in the nearby holy
stream. There is a separate arrangement for the bathing of women. The
eating of meat is strictly forbidden hers. It is said that anyone who
does not act on this precept is severely punished by the goddess.
It is a matter of experience that the effect of piety on the mind of
the man by going to this holy place and by bathing in the stream, is
one of peace and joy. Even an atheist, when he comes here and looks
inward and does introspection, gets immense pleasure and is aware of
the divine power. It is such a place where lakhs of people sing the
same kind of prayer. In the evening when the fragrant breeze blows and
lakhs of oil lamps shine and flowers ofvarious hues swim on the
surface of the spring, one feels a unique influence and forgets all
sorrow and griefs. Although many hymns have been written in praise of
this goddess in Sanskrit, Persian and Kashmiri yet the best one is
known as Ragini Sabassai Nama.
The management of this holy place is under the Dharmarth, which has
done a lot for the improvement of this holy spot. More land has been
purchased to give extension to the place so that large number of
people can be accommodated here. Now there is more than twelve kanals
of lands around the spring. Dharmashalas on modern lines have been
constructed for the pilgrims to stay here without rent. The needy are
given blankets as well. Many new shops have been constructed and taps
also arranged for the supply of water.
This is a paradise for those people who want to derive pleasure from
the natural scenery. It is a peaceful place for those who desire
mental peace. For spiritual upliftment and worship this is an
excellent place. One undertakes the pilgrimage both by road and river.
Around Kheer Bhawani flows the bubbling brooks and murmuring streams
and far away are seen picturesque mountains. In short, this is the
most captivating place for anyone. The people have great faith and
respect for this holy place. The atmosphere of this place at night,
too, is marvelous. At different spots here groups of people sing hymns
in Kashmiri with a melodious voice. These devotional songs have such a
sweet charm as can be seen from the few verses of the devotional songs
written by Krishna Razdan. Its English rendering is as follows:
Devi, remove all my sorrows!
I offer the flowers of devotion.
Bestow me your benign darshan
And my illusion will be dispelled.
Goddess, remove all my sorrows!
Devi, favour me with your kind look;
Goddess, remove all my sorrows!
Before you all the time sit Rishis;
Thus have they your darshan
They sit bowing their heads Goddess,
remove all my sorrows!
They ignite incense before you
And play on sitar and santoor;
Drums and varied musical instruments.
Goddess, save me from all sorrows!
I have no knowledge
Nor incantation of Mantras
Save my life's boat every time
Goddess, remove all my sorrows!

Source: The Rich Heritage of Jammu and Kashmir

Studies in Art, Architecture, History and Culture of the Region

By Prof. Somnath Wakhlu