Diwali celebrated across the country

The excitement of the occasion was palpable especially among the children and youth who burst crackers and let off fireworks to celebrate the occasion throughout the country.

Diwali festivities reached their peak in the national capital with people exchanging sweets and greeting each other on the occasion as the chant of vedic hymns and fragrance of incense sticks emanating from temples and homes charged the atmosphere.

Security was tightened across the national capital, especially in and around vital installations, markets and places of worship on the occasion in view of the terror threat.

In Amritsar, thousands of Sikhs took a holy dip in the pool at the Golden Temple and paid obeisance at its sanctum sanctorum to celebrate the festival since on this day in 1620 the 6th Sikh master Guru Hargobind Sahib was released from captivity by Mughal emperor Jahangir.

The BSF gifted sweets and fruits to Pakistan Rangers at the international borders at Attari and Poonch, mixed with one another, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries as a goodwill gesture on the occasion which symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

BSF Commandant S H Dhillon handed over seven boxes of traditional Indian sweets and a big basket of fruits to the Wing Commander of Pakistan Rangers Mohhammad Akbar Ali Bhatt at the joint check post at Attari Border in Punjab.

The BSF presented the sweets and fruits to their Pakistan counterparts in colourful paper wraps. Indian troops also handed over sweets to their Pakistani counterparts in Poonch, defence sources said.

A column of troops led by Colonle J P Yadav handed over eight boxes of sweets and dry fruits to Pakistani side represented by Colonel Asad at Chakan-da-Bagh crossing point along Line of Control this morning, they said.

Asad, while exchanging greetings with his Indian counterpart, prayed for peace between the two neighbouring countries.

In Chandigarh Diwali was celebrated with traditional enthusiasm across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Markets in the cities and towns of the two states and Chandigarh witnessed heavy rush of people, who were busy making the purchases on the auspicious occasion.

People also thronged the temples to pay their obeisance. The Harmandar Sahab (Golden Temple) at Amritsar was tastefully illuminated as people poured in numbers to pay their obeisance.