April 13, 2007	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1428

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TAXILA, April 12: The three-day Besakhi festival began on Thursday at the Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hassanabdal, the third most sacred city for the followers of Sikh religion. Thousands of Sikh yatrees (pilgrims) from across the world, including more than 4,000 from India, have reached Hassanabdal to participate in the 308th Besakhi celebrations.

The pilgrims arrived here through four special trains late Wednesday night.

The Gurdwara Punja Sahib donned a festive look after having been decorated with flags and banners by the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

To give the place an attractive look, the Auqaf department, the Evacuee Trust Property Board and the Gurdwara committee had also renovated and illuminated the main building.

Similarly, the local administration has made arrangements to lodge the visiting pilgrims in nearby schools.

Talking to this reporter, District Police Officer (DPO) Attock Inayatullah Farooqi said elaborate security measures had been take to avert any untoward incident during the festival.

He said security cameras had been installed to keep a watch on the activities of the visitors.

A large number of plainclothesmen had been deployed at sensitive places while police pickets were also set up near the main entrance of the Gurdwara.

He said traffic police under the command of a deputy superintendent of police had devised a special traffic plan to ensure smooth movement of vehicles during the celebrations.

The festival would conclude on April 14 and the yatrees would start leaving the holy place the same evening through special caravans.

The Sikh history reveals that the Besakhi festival marks the constitution of Khalsa Panth in 1699 by Guru Govind Singh Maharaj.