SRINAGAR: The Sikh community celebrated Baisakhi with religious fervour and traditional enthusiasm across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday as devotees thronged different gurudwaras to offer prayers
Keeping with the tradition, the Mughal gardens Nishat and Shalimar witnessed heavy rush of visitors. Harwan and the Tulip garden also had visitors in large numbers.
Bajan Keertans were performed at Gurudawaras across Kashmir. The biggest function was held at Chatti Pathshahi, Kathi Darwaza, Rainawari here.
The Sikhs woke up early and visited Gurdwaras where langars or community feasts were arranged as part of charity on the day.
People also exchanged greetings with friends, neighbours and relatives. Children spent their day in parks and gardens.
Although Baisakhi is celebrated in various other northern states for a good harvest of Rabi crop, the Sikh community here celebrates the festival to mark the foundation of Khalsa Panth by the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, paid a visit to Gurudwara Chatti Padshahi in Rainawari to extended warm greetings to the Sikh fraternity on the occasion of Baisakhi. On the occasion, Asad was accompanied by senior functionaries of Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee.
While extending warm greetings on the occasion, the DC expressed hope that this day would contribute towards strengthening brotherhood, unity, harmony and would be a harbinger of peace, progress and prosperity in J&K in general and in District Srinagar in particular. The Gurudwara authorities expressed satisfaction over the arrangements and conveyed their gratitude to the Deputy Commissioner in this regard.
Deputy Commissioner marked his presence during Gurbani session inside the Gurudwara. He also addressed the gathering of devotees and highlighted how Vaisakhi as a major Sikh festival marks the birth of the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism, on 13 April 1699. He also mentioned that Panj Pyares exemplify Unity in Diversity as they hailed from different parts of our country and represented a multicultural ethos embedded in the social fabric of our society.
During the visit, the DC also inspected various compartments of the Gurudwara including Langer and took stock of the facilities being extended to the devotees. (GNS)
