Baisakhi, the festival of harvest, was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervor across Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Performances of energetic bhangra and gidda by men and women respectively from Sikh Community marked the occasion. People also exchanged greetings with friends, neighbours and relatives as they relished the best of famous Punjabi cuisine.Colourful Baisakhi fairs were organized at several places with people going on shopping, eating and recreational spree. Hundreds of people from Sikh Community, tourists and locals visited Mughal Gardens. Keeping in with the tradition, the Mughal gardens were officially opened to public on the occasion. All Mughal gardens, Nishat, Shalimar, Harwan besides tulip garden witnessed rush of visitors from across the Valley. Men and women dressed in colourful outfits were seen enjoying the festival at Nishat and Shalimar. Sikhs visited temples and Gurdwaras, where langars or community feasts were arranged as a part of charity on the day.
The biggest function was held at Chatti Pathshahi in Kathi Darwaza Rainawari in old city here. Although Baisakhi is celebrated in various other northern states for a good harvest of Rabi crop, the Sikh community here celebrates the festival to mark 315th year of the foundation of Khalsa Panth by 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.In north Kashmir hundreds of devotees from Sikh community visited the Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi in Baramulla, Khawaja Bagh and Paranpila in Uri. The markets in the area remained crowded with the shoppers throughout the day, reports said.In south Kashmir, Baisakhi was celebrated at many places. People kept pouring in at Gurdwaras at Mattan, Singhpora, Hutbora, Kchenbal, Palmpora and Tral.