Mata Kheerbhawani temple

Why in news?

• Kashmiri Hindus, locally known as Pandits, will celebrate the Zyestha Ashtami at the Mata Kheerbhawani temple at Tulmulla in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.

 About Mata Kheerbhawani temple:

• The temple is dedicated to the goddess Ragnya Devi.
• Situated 30 km from Srinagar city, it is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Kashmiri Hindus.
• The temple gets its name from kheer, or milk and rice pudding, that pilgrims pour into the spring inside the temple complex as an offering to the goddess.
• Every year, a mela or festival is held at the temple. The festival, known as Mela Kheerbhawani
  • It is the largest gathering of Hindus in Kashmir after the annual Amarnath Yatra.

History:

• Maharaja Pratap Singh built this temple in 1912, which was later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh.
• The shrine has a hexagonal spring and a small marble shrine where the goddess' idol is installed.

Legends:

• It is believed that the colour of the water in temple’s spring predicts the impending future. If it changes to black, it is seen as inauspicious or an impending disaster.
• Kashmiri Pandits say that the water had turned black before they were forced to flee Kashmir during the militancy of 1990.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Consider the following pairs:

1. Mata Kheerbhawani Temple : Uttarakhand

2. Brihadishvara Temple         : Karanataka

3. Lingaraja Temple                 : Odisha

4. Dilwara Temples                   : Rajasthan  

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pairs

(b) Only two pairs

(c) Only three pairs

(d) All four pairs

Answer