Today, a group of around 150 Kashmiri Pandits who have been living as refugees in various parts of India from 1989-1990, when the onset of militancy drove them out of their homes, will start a journey that will end on June 20 with a prayer meeting at the Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulla Mulla village, Ganderbal, about 23 kilometres from Srinagar.


The Times of India reports that the Jammu and Kashmir government has for the first time made special arrangements for the Hindu pilgrims to visit the temple.


On Saturday, June 16, Governor N N Vohra visited the temple to review the stay, sanitation and other arrangements for the pilgrims. The state government has also provided for AC Volvo buses from new Delhi to ferry pilgrims to the temple and back.


"Remember, this yatra is only the beginning, the first step in our new journey," Satish Mahaldar, co-ordinator of the yatra, tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.

Read the interview here.