Devotees throng gurdwaras on birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev

Chandigarh: Scores of devotees on Monday thronged gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to offer prayers on the occasion of the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.

Braving the chill on Monday morning, people from different faiths paid obeisance on Gurpurab, partook in langars (community kitchen) and listened to the religious hymns.

The Golden Temple in Amritsar was tastefully decorated as religious fervour marked Gurpurab celebrations.

In Punjab, devotees thronged gurdwaras in major cities of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Bathinda, Mohali and Anandpur Sahib.

The scene was similar in Haryana, as devotees formed beelines at gurdwaras in Kurukshetra, Ambala, Sirsa, Karnal and Yamunanagar.

The Sikh guru was born at Nankana Sahib near Lahore, now in Pakistan, in 1469 and spent 14 years of his early life at Sultanpur Lodhi in Punjab’s Kapurthala district.

Meanwhile, Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator VP Singh Badnore extended greetings on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his counterpart in Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar also extended greetings to people on the occasion of Gurpurab.

At Sultanpur Lodhi, Amarinder on Monday laid the foundation stones of six projects including Qila Sarai project and smart schools to be completed at a cost of nearly Rs 40.75 crore.