Overview

• Over 35,000 devotees attended the four-day Kheer Bhawani Mela from May 31 to June 3, marking the first major Hindu festival in the Valley since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
• Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF deployed hundreds of personnel along access routes and around the Ragnya Devi spring to maintain tight security for pilgrims.
• Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha described the large gathering as a "good sign" and confirmed that preparations for the Amarnath Yatra, including yatri niwas construction, are complete.
• Leaders from the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Congress and other parties praised the festival’s turnout as proof of communal harmony and urged the dignified return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits.
• Devotees observed the temple spring’s milky-white water, which Kashmiri Pandits believe can foretell future events by changing color during the annual rituals.