At Tulmul in the Ganderbal region of Kashmir stands the Kheer Bhawani temple, the most sacred shrine of the Kashmiri Pandit community, dedicated to the Goddess Ragnya Devi (Maharagya), a benign form of Durga. The temple rises from the midst of a sacred spring, whose waters are revered for a marvel: they change colour, and a darkening of the spring is held by devotees to foretell troubled times.
As its name suggests, the Goddess is offered kheer, sweet rice pudding, poured into the sacred spring. Kheer Bhawani draws devotees above all at her annual Jyeshtha Ashtami festival, and is cherished as the spiritual heart of the Kashmiri Pandits.
