Rush of devotees to celebrate Baisakhi in Punjab, Haryana
Darpan News Desk IANS, 14 Apr, 2022 01:36 PM
Chandigarh, April 14 (IANS) As the Covid-19 wave has receded, thousands of devotees rushed to gurdwaras across Punjab and Haryana on Thursday to celebrate Baisakhi, one of biggest festivals that marks the foundation day of the 'Khalsa Panth' (Sikh order) by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh.
Also it marks the start of harvest season.
The Golden Temple in Amritsar, one of Sikhism's holiest shrines, saw a heavy rush to offer prayers.
As per gurdwara officials, nearly two lakh devotees visit the Golden Temple on the occasion of Baisakhi.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which manages gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, has deployed task force staff to manage crowds.
Barricades have been put up at all roads leading to the Golden Temple to prevent overcrowding, a police official told IANS.
A sea of devotees was also witnessed at the Takht Kesgarh Sahib in the holy city of Anandpur Sahib, where the Khalsa Panth was founded in 1699.
"It is after a gap of two years we came to offer prayers and partake a 'langar' in a gurdwara," a devotee said in Anandpur Sahib.
A jatha of 1,949 Sikh pilgrims this week left for Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib in Pakistan to participate in the religious congregation to be held to mark Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Baisakhi).
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann extended greetings on Baisakhi and on Sajna Diwas of Khalsa Panth.
Baisakhi has a special significance for the people of Punjab, particularly for the Sikh community as the Khalsa Panth was born on this day, Purohit said.
"Baisakhi also marks the commencement of the harvesting season, when farmers reap the fruit of their hard work," he added.
Joining the issue, newly-appointed state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring targeted Mann over the Centre's interfering in the state's law and order matters in the context of the Punjab Governor's visits to the border areas.
On examination of their check-in-baggage, 43 gold cut-bits of 24k purity, weighing 2.493 kg and valued at Rs 1.20 crore, were found wrapped around laptop chargers with adhesive tapes.
The incident took place at Kusupur village in the state's Cuttack district. Accused Shiba Prasad Sahoo (42) confessed to the crime through a video message and sent it to his village sarpanch and few others. He later surrendered before Balichandrapur police in Jajpur district.
According to a source, the meeting continued for two hours around and both CMs discussed how to give free 300 units of electricity in Punjab - as promised by the party in its election campaign.
The Left alliance members accused the ABVP of forcefully imposing a ban on non vegetarian food at the Kaveri Hostel in the campus while the ABVP alleged that the members of the Left alliance including the NSUI were not allowing them to conduct a Pooja and Havan programme on the occasion of Ram Navami.
Two people were declared dead and several others injured after two cable cars in a ropeway collided with each other at the Trikut hills close to Baba Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar on Sunday.
