ISLAMABAD – Besakhi – the colorful festival of Sikh minority is all set to be celebrated from Tuesday (April 12) with participation of around 13000 Sikh Yatrees from home and abroad, mainly India.
The joyful festival lift up spirits of Sikh community and add colors to their lives showing their dedication for the religion. The Sikh new year begins with the festival of Besakhi which also marks the founding of Khalsa Panth as the Sikh Yatrees will perform centuries old Besakhi rituals with devotion.
To celebrate the 312th festival of Besakhi with peace and harmony, proper security arrangements have been ensured by the government and the Gurdawara has been decorated to give importance to the minority festival in Pakistan.
Talking to APP, Chaudhry Tanveer from Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) said that pilgrims will be provided foolproof security and the Board has made all the arrangements to facilitate the Sikhs devotees for celebrating the festival in befitting manner. The board would provide the visitors with the facilities of boarding and lodging along with security and medical treatment in case any of them falls sick during the days-long celebrations.
Around 3000 Yatrees will reach Lahore through Wagha Border on April 11 and will travel to Hassan Abdal while their final rituals will be performed on April 14. After visiting Punja Sahab, they will visit Nankana Sahab and other places and will return to Lahore.
This year, the government has completed the renovation work on Gurdawara and provided the advanced security system to ensure peaceful celebrations of the festival.
On the occasion of Besakhi, men and women adorn themselves with special clothes and traditional jewelry which is connected with their myths and celebrate these days by visiting Gurdwaras and distributing Kada Prasad among all. Recital of passages from the Granth Sahib are organized in gurdwaras, where people line up to receive the delicious kada prasad and perform Kar Sewa. To get “Langar”, people cover their heads and volunteers serve them with vegetarian meal which also create a festive atmosphere.
