GANDERBAL, June 5, 2026 : Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday inaugurated the newly constructed Yatri Bhawan at the revered Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple in Tulmulla, Ganderbal district, marking a significant enhancement of facilities for pilgrims visiting one of the Union Territory’s most sacred Hindu shrines.
Dedicating the facility to devotees, the Lieutenant Governor said the Yatri Bhawan would substantially improve the pilgrimage experience by providing safe, hygienic and comfortable accommodation for visitors arriving from across India and abroad.
Located around 25 kilometres from Srinagar, the Kheer Bhawani Shrine is one of the most important religious sites in Jammu and Kashmir and holds deep spiritual significance for the Kashmiri Pandit community. The temple witnesses a large influx of devotees throughout the year, particularly during the annual Mela Kheer Bhawani and Jyeshtha Ashtami celebrations, when thousands of pilgrims gather to offer prayers.
Speaking on the occasion, Sinha recalled that several delegations had approached him in 2023 seeking the construction of a dedicated Yatri Bhawan to cater to the growing number of pilgrims visiting the shrine.
Responding to the demand, the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, through its Rural Engineering Wing (REW), prepared the project plan, following which the Lieutenant Governor laid the foundation stone for the facility during Jyeshtha Ashtami in 2024.
“With the blessings of Mata Kheer Bhawani, I had laid the foundation stone of this project on Jyeshtha Ashtami in 2024. This facility will significantly enhance the shrine’s capacity to host devotees arriving from different parts of India and abroad. My objective has always been to provide the Kashmiri Pandit community and other pilgrims with excellent facilities and a peaceful spiritual experience,” Sinha said.
According to an official spokesperson, the Yatri Bhawan has been constructed within the temple premises at a cost of ₹3.85 crore. The facility comprises a ground-plus-two reinforced cement concrete (RCC) structure with a plinth area of approximately 3,885 square feet.
Designed with the needs of pilgrims in mind, the building can accommodate approximately 800 to 900 devotees through floor bedding arrangements, thereby significantly strengthening the shrine’s infrastructure during major religious events and peak pilgrimage seasons.
Officials said the new facility is expected to ease accommodation challenges faced by pilgrims and improve overall visitor management at the shrine.
Earlier in the day, the Lieutenant Governor paid obeisance at the temple and offered prayers for peace, prosperity and the well-being of all citizens.
The inauguration of the Yatri Bhawan is being viewed as an important step towards enhancing pilgrimage infrastructure, preserving religious heritage and facilitating a more comfortable and spiritually enriching experience for devotees visiting the historic Kheer Bhawani shrine.
