Maej Bhawani Karri Soruy Rutt 

Anu Handoo

Maej Bhawani karri soruy rutt

Mata Bhawani will set everything right is the typical way we Kashmiri Pandits face any challenge. Mata Bhawani sets the challenges, but she also being a loving mother gives the resources, and the courage to deal with them. Hosting the Kheerbhawani Hawan in the UK is a huge undertaking. It involves getting together a huge, dispersed diaspora living in all corners of the country, finding a suitable venue, procurement of goods and services and volunteers and then coordination on the day. Anyone who is involved in the process will confirm that Maej Bhawani makes it happen exactly the way she wants. Her smiling face beckons the devotees, enthrals them and puts them in a trance of heartfelt devotion; one where tears start automatically flowing from your eyes at the beat of ‘Tulmul Nagas lagay paere paerei‘. 

UK Kashmiri Pandit diaspora have been getting together since 2014 to mark the Jyetha Atham parva. Jyetha Atham falls sometime in June and is the Ashthmi when Ma Ragnya’s birthday is marked. Back in Kashmir we used to go to Tulmul where a beautiful mandir nests in middle of a water body. This iconic mandir is abode to Mata Ragnya’s vighraha alongside a beautiful tall Shivling. I remember being mesmerized by this imagery as a kid, especially as you could never touch the Mata or pour water on the Shivling unlike other mandirs. A single wooden plank over the pond that connected the surrounding area to the mandir felt too precarious for the pujari carrying offerings. The only way you could pay obeisance to Mata in this Mandir was by pouring milk, flowers and water in the pond surrounding the mandir. The pond is divine as well. It changes colours from clear or milky or blue during good times; to even red or black during inauspicious times. What is also stuck in my memories is the huge sprawling garden full of giant Maple trees, river and pond for bathing, and the mouthwatering aroma of fresh fried bread (loochi) and hot saffron and almond laden green tea (kehwa). Our family often took a picnic to Kheerbhawani to enjoy after an elaborate pooja and offering of milk. In the din of temple bells and loud aartis, the soul felt light and Maej Ragnya felt ‘nakhi t dakhi’ (next to us and protecting us).

We aim to create the same nostalgia of Kheerbhawani mela in the UK every year. The annual event has evolved over the years – from two annual events at different venues, to online events during COVID, to a blissful single big event in 2024, the 11th year. That’s what Maej Ragnya wanted and she executed it in style. The venue was Sri RajRajeswari Amman temple in Epsom. Divine Mother is resplendent in this mandir and this time she wanted to see all her children in one place. 

As the preparations started about a month in advance, volunteers from across the country poured their selfless energy in making things happen. Whether it was shopping for key items from all the way in Jammu or bringing Mata’s vigraha from London, every job had its challenges, every job done with utmost devotion. When the big day finally arrived, all volunteers took their positions, from setting up, to decorating, from cooking to serving, from assisting in hawan to directing the proceedings. As if Maej Bhawani took it upon herself to hide our mistakes and imperfections to make it the most wonderful hawan of recent times. The Hawan was divine followed by a beautiful abhishekam and bhajans of Mata, Ganesh and Kartikeya. It was followed by a sumptuous prasaad and heartwarming bhajan mandli after. It was perfect as Mata intended.

With a resolution to get together again year after year, we bid the Kheerbhawani Hawan goodbye. We will be back soon.