Kheer Bhawani Temple stands over a sacred spring at Tulmul in Ganderbal district and is dedicated to the goddess Maharagnya Bhagwati. Everything at the temple turns on the spring. Kashmiri Pandits read the colour of its water as a sign for the valley, and a darkening is taken as a warning. Maharaja Pratap Singh built the present temple in 1912; Maharaja Hari Singh later renovated it.
Duke Kashmir Travels is a Srinagar travel agency, registered with the J&K Department of Tourism as JKTA00003978 since 2011. We arrange pilgrimage days to Tulmul on request; Kashmir packages start near ₹6,350 per person, two sharing.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- At Tulmul in Ganderbal, roughly 22 km east of Srinagar.
- Built over a spring; the goddess is Maharagnya Bhagwati, called Kheer Bhawani.
- The present temple dates from 1912 under Maharaja Pratap Singh.
- The spring's colour is read by devotees as an omen for the valley.
- Jyeshtha Ashtami, in late spring, is the great annual gathering.
- Chinar trees shade the tank; offerings of kheer give the shrine its name.
Why the name Kheer Bhawani?
Because devotees offer kheer, milk and rice, at the spring. The goddess is Maharagnya Bhagwati, and Kheer Bhawani is the name Kashmir uses.
The shrine is the most important Kashmiri Pandit site in the valley. Families who left in the 1990s return for the annual festival, and the temple has continued to function through those decades.
What is the story of the spring?
Its water changes colour, and the community reads that change: pale shades are auspicious, a darkening is taken as a warning for Kashmir.
The tank is hexagonal, lined in stone, with the shrine at its centre and chinars around the compound. Visitors walk the tank, make offerings and sit under the trees; it is a calm place on an ordinary day.
When should you visit?
Any time of year, but Jyeshtha Ashtami in late spring brings thousands and is the day to see it alive.
It is about an hour from Srinagar and pairs with Hokersar or the Ganderbal side. Dress modestly and remove shoes at the shrine. See Kashmir tour ideas.
Booking this with us
Duke Kashmir Travels works out of Nowhatta Chowk in Srinagar, registered as JKTA00003978 since 2011, IATO allied member since 2016 and a TAAK member. See About Us for the rest.
Share your travel dates and group size and we will price the trip around this stop. Phone +91 9018 44 0000, write to info@dukekashmirtravels.com, or open the contact page.
About the founder
Founder Rayies Ahmad Zargar opened Duke Kashmir Travels in Srinagar in 2011, sits in TAAK, co-founded the JK Tourism Council, and signs off the guides on this site. Find him on LinkedIn.