My Trip To Srinigar - Day 2 - 22nd September 2023.

Chapter 2

We were to start at 6:00 am on the 22^nd but there was a delay in getting the vehicles arranged and off we went, closer to 7:00 am. We had a lot of ground to cover (temples to visit). First on our list was Sri Kheer Bhavani Durga Temple, a distance of around 23 km from our base camp. The beauty of this temple is that the main shrine is on an island and the legend goes that the water here changes its colour when the land and its environment are challenged in any way. We heard from the priest of this temple that the last time water had changed its colour was at the onset of the Kargil incursion. The temple’s main offering to the deity ‘Kheer’, is later distributed to the devotees as ‘Prasada’ and hence the name ‘Kheer Bhavani’.

I observed that most of the temples where regular pooja programs are conducted are being protected either by CRPF, BSF, or the like – it appears that ‘God needs man’s protection’! Another observation, this geographical region has the maximum share of the country’s Sharada temples.

Moving on, our next stop was Sharada Temple at Shardibal Kalusa, around 36 km from Kheer Bhavani Temple, Tulmulla. The priest (5^th generation) taking care of this temple mentioned that one of his forefathers who was a regular visitor to the original Sharada Temple couldn’t visit the shrine anymore, and was advised in his dream by Sharada Devi to establish the temple. The priest found Sharada Devi in ‘Pinda Roopa’ and installed it here. There is no record of how the Rama and Mahabala (Hanuman) idols were installed here. There is a Shiva Linga under an old tree that stands over 75 feet tall. It is said to be a Swayambhu (self-formed) with clearly visible jata (lock of hair) and the crescent of the moon as well on the head of the Shivalinga.

Next in tow was the Bhadrakali Temple atop the hill and one has to negotiate 450 plus steps to visit this beautiful temple. The CRPF Jawans who are taking care of this temple are doing a wonderful job. One of them, performing pooja, explained that the terrorists blasted this temple and the idol into smithereens. After this incursion, they were countered and the temple was rebuilt by the local people and the Indian Army. There is a dried-up pine tree behind the sanctum sanctorum here. Legend says that the tree, when cut, bled a blood-like liquid and therefore the tree was left uncut. Other deities in this huge hill complex are Ganesh, Hanuman and Shiva.

While climbing the hill, I was so enthusiastic and started off speeding as if I were 20-30 years younger.  Around 100-150 steps later, I found myself gasping for breath and instead of realising that I was not young anymore, I thought this was because of the altitude and thin air. I downloaded an app to check the altitude, which was around 7,500 ft above MSL. When brick-hit by the fact of age against me, I consoled myself and slowed my ascent to the top. It was a smooth affair from then on. Suma Aunty suggested that we climb down with both feet on each of the steps every time, instead of running down one foot on each step. This reduces the stress on the calf muscles and on the knees. A lesson learnt quick but in the hard way.

Moving on to our next point of interest, it was another Kheer Bhavani Temple at Tikker in Trehgam, Kupwara. This too is on an island, as in the earlier case. We had a similar prasad of Kheer here too. The priest here (also from CRPF) mentioned that the pond surrounding the deity has mystical properties. When flower petals are offered by devotees with devotion and some wish in their mind, the flowers falling onto the water's surface re-arrange themselves to provide some symbolic solution. We couldn’t wait for the results of our offering of petals to the pond as we had to move on to our next destination.

There we were at our next destination, Shiva Temple and also Chitragupt Kund. This is a beautiful place, a water source for the whole town of Halmat Pora in Kupwara and the place is, therefore, under the protection of CRPF. A huge mosque has been built in the adjoining place and we were told that they desired to encroach and occupy the land covered by the huge pond but it appears to have been thwarted by divine intervention. The CRPF personnel who were guarding the premises insisted that we taste the water from the source there and I must say it was the sweetest and cool gulps of water I had that day and even to this day I can remember the taste of that water.

God bless the CRPF and other personnel who are manning and performing the daily pooja at these temples amidst such adversities!

This was our penultimate stop before embarking on our last leg of the journey to Tithwal. The view throughout was very picturesque with mountains on all sides and long winding roads and we got to the first of the checkpoints in Chowkibal. Past this, we came to a place where there were a couple of refreshment stalls by the roadside. Needless to say, we dropped anchor here to quench the thirst of our parched throats and the tea vendor didn’t disappoint us. He brewed us one of the best masala teas and I had the pleasure of downing one more cuppa before we left. To our surprise, we saw ‘Nandini’ tetra pack milk at this tea stall. 

Moving on, we came to another checkpoint Sadhana Pass. The altitude here was around 10,700 ft above MSL. Once the formalities were completed, we started the descent on the winding road into the valley through villages en route and reached Tithwal around 8:00 in the evening. 

We could see a huge mountain in front of us as we approached our destination and were told that this was the other side of the border and there was a river flowing in between. The mountain was lit up at random places indicating the existence of life. Upon reaching our abode for the night, we were welcomed by Aijaz in his homestay. Aijaz is the effort and strength behind the construction of the Sharada Temple at Tithwal.

We were told that our dinner was arranged at the Army mess at Tithwal and so we treaded along on this moonlit night, a short walk to the camp. The mess was converted to a dormitory to accommodate the Kashmiri Pandits who came from far-off towns. As we got closer, we could hear bhajans being sung by the Pandit crowd. Suma Aunty and her cousin Veena joined the crowd and Veena sang a couple of devotional songs in Sanskrit and Kannada, which was appreciated by all in the crowd. We also had a chance to talk to the organisers, especially Shri Ravinder Pandita, who took us through the journey to date, in restoring the temple.

We were treated thereafter by dinner, simple yet tasty. Another short walk brought us back to our abode. After a bit of preparation for the next day, we dozed off totally exhausted.

More in my next chapter.....