Srinagar, June 22 -- Srinagar- Thousands of devotees on Monday participated in the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela at the revered Ragnya Devi Temple in Tulmulla village of central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, offering prayers for peace, prosperity and the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland.

Observed on the occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami, the mela is one of the most significant religious events of the Kashmiri Pandit community. Devotees from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir as well as other parts of the country began arriving at the shrine from the early morning hours to pay obeisance to Goddess Ragnya Devi, popularly known as Mata Kheer Bhawani.

Nestled under towering chinar trees, the temple complex wore a festive look...