Gutted last year, temple comes alive with rush of devotees

M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 30

The centuries-old Jwala Mukhi temple at Khrew in south Kashmir was bustling with devotees today as Kashmiri Pandits celebrated the birth anniversary of Mata Jwala.

Even as devotees celebrate ‘Mela Jwala Mukhi’ every year, Pandits organised a ‘hawan’ this time at the shrine, which was damaged in a fire in December last and was yet to be fully restored to its former glory.

“More than 7,000 devotees came and last night’s hawan concluded with ‘puran ahuti’ today. The shrine is yet to be fully restored, but we are glad that we held the mela successfully,” said Ravi Bhat, general secretary of the Swami Jeewan Sahib Mandir Prabandak Trust.

While the previous temple building had been built some 350 years back, Bhat said the site was around 5,000 years old and famous for the ‘naturally formed’ idol of Jwala Bhagwati, the goddess of fire. The temple can be reached by chiselled stone steps located in the Zabarwan Hills.

He said the mela at the temple known as ‘Jwalaji Mandir’ is held annually on ‘arshrad chaturdashi (haare choodeh)’ and especially thanked the Muslims for making the festival successful. “We especially thank the majority community. People in Khrew for the past many days have been observing ‘hartal’ and protests (against air pollution by cement factories). But today, shops were kept open and transport plied normally so that the devotees did not face any inconvenience,” he said.

Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir spokesman Chunni Lal said Jwala Bhagwati was among the revered ‘seven sisters or goddesses’ of the Valley. “The seven sisters include other goddesses, including those of Kheer Bhawani,” he said.

MK Raina of the Jwalaji Samiti appealed the Dharmath Trust, looking after the shrine, to expedite restoration work. He said the shrine had the potential of being a major pilgrimage destination of the Valley if properly developed.