Kheer Bhawani Temple by Rahul Kilam

Kheer Bhawani/Ksheer Bhawani is a temple dedicated to the Maharagnya Bhagwati constructed over a sacred spring. The worship of Kheer Bhawani is universal among the Hindus of Kashmir,most of them who worship her as their protective patron deity (Kuladevi). The term kheer refers to rice pudding that is offered in the spring to propitiate the Goddess, which became part of the name of the temple.
History-
MahaRagniya Bhagwati, in (Sri) Lanka the Mother Goddess was called Shayama, was pleased with the devotion of Ravana and appeared before him and Ravana got an image of the Goddess installed in Sri Lanka. The Goddess became displeased with the vicious and licentious life of Ravana and so didn’t want to stay in Lanka. Therefore, instructed Lord Hanuman to get the image from Lanka and install it at the holy spot of Tulmul. In Lanka Maa Shayama Bhagwati was seated in the ‘Taamsik’ roopa. But before leaving Lanka Goddess abandoned Taamsik roopa & in Kashmir Goddess Raginya is worshipped in Vaishnava roopa / Sattavie form of Mother Goddess, i.e. the form of tranquility & bliss. The night during which Mother Goddess came from (Sri) Lanka to Kashmir was named Ragniya Ratri.
In Kashmir a number of shrines are dedicated to Mother Goddess at Devsar, Tiker, Bhuvaneshvar, Manzgam (Noor-abad) Bheda, Logripura, Mani-gam, Rai-than and Baed-pur, but the Shrine at Tulmul is the most famous one and hence the focus of yatris. Spirituality, devotion & gaiety mark the day of Mela Kheer Bhawani.
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 (pond). Abu’l-Fazl in his book Aini-Akbari mentions the area of Tula Mula extending over a region of hundred bighas (unit of land area) of land, which used to sink in the marshy lands during the summer season.
Jagadguru AdiShankrachrya and also saints Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Vivekananda also visited here to have the darshan of the place. Swami Vivekananda visited Kashmir. During his stay at TulMul, while ritually worshiping Kheer Bhawani, he had the thought: he was astonished by the colour change at that time and cited it as a miracle.
A unique septa-gonal spring dedicated to Goddess Kheer Bhawani flows from west (sheer or head section) to the east(padh or feet). The holy spring is known to change its colour with various hues of red, pink, orange, green, blue, white, etc.
Abode of Mata Ragyna survived Sikander Butshikan who destroyed many famous temples in kashmir.
Seeking mata’s blessings for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits & the suffering people of the whole world. Zyeashta Ashtami greetings to Hindu Community in the 31st year of forced exile. May Maharagyna Devi bless all humanity with peace & prosperity.
Tula Mulla, abode of Maharagyna Devi, I bow in your lotus feet, may my soul become as pure & fragrant as the holy spring which surrounds you.
महा राज्ञी भगवती सदा भवतु प्रसन्ना।।
ॐ सूकर्णाय विद्यम्हे,
भानू रतनाय धीमहि,
तन्नो राज्ञी प्रचोदयात।।