Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 13: Baisakhi festival linked with establishment of Khalsa Panth and harvesting season was celebrated with full religious fervor and gaiety across Jammu region today. Holding of social functions and cultural programmes at different places all over the region marked the celebrations.
As usual the annual Baisakhi mela was held with traditional enthusiasm at Rajinder Park Canal road here in which thousands of people drawn from different parts of Jammu including men, women and children participated. The fair was inaugurated by MLA Jammu East Rajesh Gupta.
The children and women attired in colorful dresses enjoyed the fair. The children participated in fun and frolic, purchasing toys, eatables , ice cream and cold drinks while others were seen enjoying the bath and swimming in the ice cold waters of Ranbir Canal.
Releasing the water in the Ranbir Canal on the Baisakhi festival has also been a past tradition so that people can enjoy Baisakhi fair at Rajinder Park on the banks of canal on the day.
The children and others were busy in playing games and purchasing the eatables as hundreds of stalls from confectionary items, to play way items and fruit were installed by hawkers for whom it is a hey day to make a good earning.
There was heavy rush on both Canal and Bhagwati Nagar roads which also resulted in a huge traffic jam during the day. The officials had also made elaborate security arrangements at Rajinder Park the venue of the mela to avert any untoward incident.
The people from far-flung areas had come to participate in the mela. There was also heavy rush in the Shiv Temple on the canal road as large number of devotees also thronged the temple to pay their obeisance.
Reports coming from other district and tehsil headquarters reveal that the Baisakhi mela was also held at different district and tehsil headquarters also in which a large number of people participated.
Reports coming from Udhampur said that three day historic Devika Baisakhi mela started at holy Devika Ghat this morning. Additional Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Avny Lavasa was the chief guest on the occasion who formally inaugurated the mela. Greeting the people she said these kind of fairs and festivals reflect the rich culture of the country and help in strengthening the bonds of communal harmony and brotherhood.
Different stalls were installed by various Government departments on the occasion. The cultural programmes highlighting the `Swatch Bharat Abhiyan’ and reflecting the rich Dogra culture were organized by Information Department, Field Publicity Unit Udhampur, Song and Drama Division, GoI , YNK Udhampur and District Youth Services and Sports.
The historic Baisakhi mela was also held at Chowgan Ramnagar. It was thrown open by the MLA Ramnagar R S Pathania.
The Baisakhi mela of Ramnagar is popularly known as Samadhi mela Ramnagar has become redundant and was started couple of years back on the intervention of Pathania. While inaugurating the mela Pathania stressed on these kinds of festivals. He also stressed on importance of these traditional festivals and melas to maintain the harmony amongst all the sections of the society. He said such events bring people closer to each other.
The harvesting festival of Baisakhi was also celebrated at Buddapur Sarore where a fair was held. The fair was inaugurated by Minster of Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash Ganga. He extended Baisakhi greetings to the people and said on this day Khalsa Panth was established by 10 Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Maharaj.
He said it is a tradition for centuries together of celebrating Baisakhi fair at Buddapur and called for preserving rich cultural heritage of the country. Another fair was held at Pindi Gurah Salathia in which Ganga also took part.
Thousands of people thronged Mansar lake to participate in Baisakhi mela while a large number of people thronged the bank of river Nazz in Baillawar tehsil of Kathua district to participate in two days Baisakhi mela which started this morning.
The mela was thrown open by Deputy Chief Minster ,Dr Nirmal Singh. He highlighted the significance of organizing such events and get -together. He stressed on preserving the rich culture and traditions of the region which are a link to the glorious past. Vice chairman Kissan Advisory Board Daljeet Singh Chib and MLC Pardeep Sharma also accompanied Dy CM on the occasion.
Besides in connection with celebration of Baisakhi festival melas were also held at Nagri Parole, Hatli village and Ram Leela Ground in Kathua and at Harmandir Sahib Chak Ram Chand in Supwal Samba where thousands of people participated.
On the occasion of Bisakhi thousands of devotees had holy dip in Chenab river at Chander Bhaga Sangam Kishtwar today and after offering prayers at Neel Gangeshwari temple attended the annual bhandara organized by Management Committee of Neel Gangeshwari Mandir and Bindraban Temple. Later in the evening annual Dangal was organized in historic Chowgan in which wrestlers from both the communities displayed their talent. Extra security arrangements were made on this occasion.
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