13 Nov :The 540th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru, is being celebrated across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Thursday as devoteesthronged the Gurudwaras to pay their obeisance.
The Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar has been decorated and illuminated to mark the occasion.Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his wife Surinder Kaur paid their obeisance at the temple and performed ‘sewa’.
Tight security arrangements have been made and movement of heavy vehicles have been barred near the temple complex.Devotees with the palanquin carrying holy Guru Granth Sahib took out Nagar Kirtans at different places in Punjab and Haryana on the eve of ‘Gurpurb’.
In Haryana, people paid obeisance at various places, including Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal. Also, heavy rush of devotees was seen at Sector 34 Gurudwara in Chandigarh.Punjab Governor S F Rodrigues and Chief Minister Badal have greeted the people on the auspicious occasion.
Both leaders called upon people to imbibe the spirit of service and humility as preached by the great Guru and to strive hard for carving out a peaceful, prosperous and healthy society by following his precious legacy.
Prez, PM, Vice Prez greets nation
Greeting the nation on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Vice President Hamid Ansari asked the people to imbibe the ideals of humanity, equality and brotherhood of the Guru.
The President has said that Guru Nanak’s message of truth and brotherhood is still relevant. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has also greeted the people on this occasion.
Earlier on Wednesday Sikhs took out a major procession in the capital in order to mark the occassion.
Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, was born in 1469 at Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib.
13 NOV , Amritsar Prabhjot Gill : Celebrations to mark Gurpurab, the birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev, began in Punjab on Thursday morning with thousands of devotees paying obeisance at gurudwaras (Sikh shrines).
Gurudwaras across Punjab as well as in neighbouring Haryana and Himachal Pradesh were decorated with lights to celebrate the occasion.
At the holiest Sikh shrine of Harmandar Sahib in Amritsar (popularly known as the Golden Temple), thousands of devotees kept pouring in since the wee hours of Thursday.midst singing of hymns and serving of food prepared at langar (community kitchen), most places wore a festive look. Langars were also organised by devout along highways for those travelling Thursday.
Guru Nanak Dev was born in 1469 at Nankana Sahib, a town near Lahore, now in Pakistan.
A 2,500-strong group of devotees left for Pakistan Tuesday to take part in the Gurpurab celebrations at Nankana Sahib.
Very nice photo .
Harman
Toronto