Diwali celebrated across Punjab Haryana

Chandigarh, Nov 8 (PTI) Diwali, the festival of lights, was celebrated across Punjab and Haryana on Sunday with great fervour, gaiety and enthusiasm.

     Devotees queued up at temples and gurudwaras across Punjab and Haryana, including their common capital, Chandigarh, to pay obeisance.

     The festive spirit was visible during the day in the two states, especially in Chandigarh, where people were seen thronging to the markets for last-minute shopping.

     Candles, Diyas (earthen lamps) and electric lights dotted houses, and people exchanged sweets and gifts on the occasion.

     Ahead of the festival, security was tightened across the two states and the union territory, especially in and around vital installations, markets and places of worship, officials said.

     Bandi Chhor Divas, the festival which coincides with Diwali, was also celebrated across Punjab.

     In Amritsar, the holy Sikh shrine, Golden Temple, was tastefully illuminated, drawing a large number of devotees since early morning. Bandi Chhor Divas festival marks the historical release of the sixth Sikh guru, Guru Hargobind, along with 52 kings, from the Mughal prison in 1620.

     After his release, Guru Hargobind directly reached the Golden Temple and the holy city was illuminated as people lit diyas to celebrate the occasion.

     Punjab Governor and UT Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini extended their warm greetings to the people on the occasion.

     Chandigarh Administration and the administrations in the two states allowed only certified green crackers and prescribed fixed time slots for bursting them on Diwali.

     In Chandigarh, certified green crackers have been allowed to be burst between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)