Kupwara, Jun 22 (KNO): The annual Kheer Bhawani festival in north Kashmir's frontier Kupwara district on Monday became a platform for Kashmiri Pandits to voice their longing for a return to their homeland. Many devotees urged the government to facilitate their rehabilitation and called upon local communities to help rebuild the bonds that once defined Kashmir’s social fabric.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), hundreds of devotees gathered at the revered shrine of Ragnya Devi at Tikker village to celebrate Zeisht Ashtami, one of the most significant religious occasions for the Kashmiri Pandit community. For many pilgrims, the visit was deeply emotional, as it brought back memories of their ancestral homes and renewed hopes of returning to the Valley.
Devotees appreciated the arrangements made by the administrations, including Kupwara and Baramulla, and thanked residents for their hospitality and support during the festival. Many said such gestures strengthen their belief that coexistence and reconciliation remain possible.
Krishna, a devotee originally from Anantnag, said the displaced community continues to aspire for a permanent return to Kashmir and urged the government to take concrete steps in that direction.
“We want to come back to our homeland. The government must create conditions that facilitate our return and rehabilitation. For years, promises have been made, but now practical measures are needed,” he said.
A woman devotee from Jammu, whose family hails from Pulwama, said the return of Kashmiri Pandits cannot be achieved by the government alone and requires support from society as a whole.
“We are incomplete without each other. Kashmir has always belonged to all its communities. Muslims, Sikhs and Pandits must live together again. Locals can play a major role in helping us come back home and rebuilding trust,” she said.
She added that despite living outside the Valley for decades, her family has preserved its cultural identity and connection with Kashmir. “We have protected our language and traditions. My children speak Kashmiri fluently because we want them to remain connected to their roots. Kashmir will always be our motherland,” she said.
Several devotees stressed that peace, security and communal harmony are essential prerequisites for the return of displaced families. They said a stable environment would encourage more Kashmiri Pandits to reconnect with their ancestral homeland.
An elderly devotee from Baramulla said the government must ensure a dignified and secure rehabilitation process while addressing concerns related to housing, employment and safety.
Members of the community also highlighted issues concerning properties left behind in different parts of the Valley and urged authorities to take effective measures against encroachments and facilitate restoration of their assets.
"Both the government and local people have an important role to play. If we are welcomed back with dignity, security and acceptance, many Kashmiri Pandits would be willing to return. We are incomplete without each other,” several devotees said.
Many participants expressed hope that such interactions would strengthen inter-community ties and contribute to creating conditions conducive to the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley—(KNO)