Baisakhi celebrated with traditional zeal in North and West regions

Chandigarh, Apr 14 (UNI) Baisakhi, the harvest festival and birth anniversary of Khalsa panth, was celebrated today with traditional zeal and qaiety in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.

Thousands of people thronged religious places and took dips in holy tanks, sarovars and rivers at various places in the region on this occasion. ''Diwans'' and free kitchens were organised at places of worship to mark the festivities.

A large number of people visited the Golden temple and the Durgiana Mandir in Amritsar and took a dip in the holy tanks there.

People thronged the historic gurdwaras at Muktsar and other places and took a dip in the sacred tanks attached to them.

A huge congregation was held at Anandpur Sahib, the birth place of the Khalsa, where the first phase of the Rs 224 crore mega Khalsa Heritage Project, that provides a fascinating journey into the Sikh faith and its 500 years of history was inaugurated.

A Baisakhi fair was held at Talwandi Sabo in Bhatinda district.

In Haryana, people thronged the holy Brahamsarovar at Kurukshetra and took a dip there. A large number of people also visited Kapal Mochan 'temple' in Yamunanagar district and took a dip at the holy sarovar there.

In Himachal Pradesh, thousands of people took dips at various places in the Beas, Sutlej, Ravi and Yamuna rivers and sacred tanks attatched to temples and lakes. Special congregations were held at various gurdwaras in Chandigarh on the occasion.

Reports of ''Baisakhi'' celebrations also came in from Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Ropar, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Karnal, Panipat, Ambala, Poanta Sahib, Nahan, Solan, Mandi Hamirpur, Kangra and Chamba.

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