Baisakhi celebrated with religious fervor

Srinagar, Apr 13: The Baisakhi festival was celebrated with religious fervor across Kashmir on Sunday. Amid the pleasant weather, parks and public places looked festive, and people were seen celebrating the festival. The Sikh community celebrated Baisakhi with traditional enthusiasm. The spring festival witnessed a huge number of devotees thronging Gurdwaras  across Kashmir. To mention, Baisakhi festival marks the beginning of the solar year, and for the farming community of Punjab, it marks the time for the harvest of Rabi crops.

The largest gathering of devotees was witnessed at Chatti Pathshahi, Kathi Darwaza, and Rainawari in old city. Scores of Sikh devotees were seen participating in bhajan keertans and other religious activities. The Sikh community and other NGOs had set up stalls for langar. Medical camps were also organised for the event.

While talking to Greater Kashmir, All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman, Jagmohan Singh Raina said that the festival was celebrated smoothly like every year. “This is the tradition of Kashmir that our Muslim brothers and other communities extend support and participate with us on the event. In the past, the Mughal gardens used to be open during this festival in Kashmir, and the Kashmir Sikh community celebrated this festival with a traditional touch. This includes greeting people, wearing new clothes, and performing other religious activities,” he said, adding that the whole community prayed for peace and brotherhood in Kashmir valley and around the world. Meanwhile, people thronged Mughal gardens, Tulip garden and other parks across Kashmir. People from the Sikh community were seen enjoying the festival with friends and families. “This is an important and most happening festival for the Sikh community. We have fond memories of spending time with families and friends in Mughal gardens on the event, and we did the same today,” said a visitor from the Sikh community at Shalimar Garden. Earlier Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri chaired a meeting of DCs and officers to review overall arrangement on the festival.

In view of the heavy rush of traffic, the traffic police had also deployed men and machinery to manage the traffic rush. “We have placed more men across important bottlenecks to manage the traffic, especially around gardens and parks. At some places, diversions have been also placed temporarily to ensure smooth movement of traffic,” said a traffic official.

Meanwhile, in north Kashmir, devotees from the Sikh community held religious gatherings at the Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi in Baramulla, Khawaja Bagh, and Paranpila in Uri. Likewise, in south Kashmir, Baisakhi was celebrated at many places like Gurdawaras at Mattan, Singhpora, and Hutmora.