Pilgrimage Tours
Photo: GharWapsi · Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
Kheer Bhawani is a Shakti shrine at Tulmulla village in Ganderbal district, about 25 km north-east of Srinagar, dedicated to the goddess Ragnya Devi (also called Maharagya Devi) and revered as the presiding deity of the Kashmiri Pandit community. The temple is built over a natural heptagonal spring, and the spring itself is the object of worship rather than a large sculpted image; devotees pour milk and offer kheer, the rice-and-milk pudding that gives the goddess her popular name. The spring is known to shift in colour through white, pink, red, green and other shades, and tradition holds that a darkened spring foretells a difficult period for the valley. The present temple was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh around 1912, after Maharaja Ranbir Singh had earlier put up a dharamshala at the site, and the enclosure is shaded by old chinar trees under which pilgrims sit.
May to June is the main season, both because the Kashmir weather is mild and because the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela falls on Jyeshtha Ashtami, usually in late May or June, when Kashmiri Pandits gather at Tulmulla in very large numbers — it is one of the biggest Hindu congregations in the valley after the Amarnath yatra, and the temple grounds and the Srinagar-Ganderbal road are genuinely packed that day. April to October is comfortable for a quieter visit with elders; December to February is bitterly cold and the stone floors around the spring are hard on bare feet.
Srinagar International Airport (SXR) is the nearest airport, roughly 40 km away by road. The nearest railhead is Srinagar (Nowgam) station on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line, about 30 km away, now connected to Katra and Jammu Tawi by direct train. By road, Tulmulla is about 25-27 km north-east of Srinagar city via Ganderbal, an hour or a little more by taxi; buses and shared vehicles run on the Srinagar-Ganderbal route, and extra buses are usually put on for the Jyeshtha Ashtami mela.
There is no climb or trek — the shrine sits at ground level and is suitable for elderly pilgrims — but footwear is removed at the entrance and the marble and stone around the spring stays very cold outside summer, so carry thick socks. If you are travelling for the Jyeshtha Ashtami mela, book Srinagar accommodation and transport well in advance and carry photo ID; access and timings on mela day are managed locally, so confirm with the temple or your driver before you set out.
Planned around you, not a fixed departure. Holiday Vibez arranges pilgrimages to Kheer Bhawani Temple in Ganderbal for families, elders and temple groups travelling from Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and Madurai. Tell us your dates and how many are coming — we build the route around that. 100% customisable.
- Stays near the shrine — so elders aren't driven back and forth at 4am.
- Private transfers — pick-up from your door, not a meeting point.
- Meals that suit the group — including pure-veg and fasting requirements.
- Group travel — 4 people or 40, one coordinator, one itinerary.
- Someone on the phone — when you're in a queue three states from home.
Temple boards run their own darshan queues and quotas. No travel agent can sell you a special one, and agencies that promise "VIP darshan" are either misleading you or breaking the trust's rules. We help you book the official slots and we get everything else right.
Most of the people we send on yatra are over 55, or booking for parents who are. We plan shorter driving days, stays within walking distance where the shrine allows it, and we'll tell you honestly if a site involves a long climb or a trek before you pay — not after.
Why is it called Kheer Bhawani?
Because the traditional offering to the goddess is kheer, the rice-and-milk pudding. Devotees pour milk and place kheer at the spring, and the name has stuck to both the goddess and the shrine. The formal name of the deity is Ragnya Devi, or Maharagya Devi.
Is it true that the water of the spring changes colour?
Yes, the spring is observed to take on different shades — white, pink, red, green, blue and at times very dark. Devotees read meaning into this, and tradition holds that a black or crimson spring warns of a hard time ahead. The temple does not publish any schedule for this; you see whatever colour the spring is on the day you visit.
Can non-Kashmiris and general tourists visit the temple?
Yes. The shrine is open to pilgrims and visitors and is a common half-day trip from Srinagar, often combined with Ganderbal or the Sonamarg road. It is a working shrine of the Kashmiri Pandit community, so dress modestly and follow the instructions of the priests at the spring. Confirm current darshan timings with the temple before you travel, as they are not fixed year-round.
Plan your Kheer Bhawani Temple yatra
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