A week of colourful festivites

LUDHIANA: The week brought several religious occasions for celebration for Hindu, Jain and Sikh devotees.
The celebrations commenced with Ganesh Chaturthi in which idols of Lord Ganesha were established in all the prominent temples and localities of the city. The idols have been installed at all the prominent localities of the city. The Ganesh Mahotsav Committee, Haibowal Area, has installed an idol of Lord Ganesha for 10 days after performing all religious rituals like bhumi, navgrah and kalash pujan.Greenland School also installed a 100-ft idol in their premises. Besides this, the festive spirit was high in Iqbal Ganj Chowk, Neem Chok and Durga Temple where a huge multitude of devotees were seen paying obeisance.
Besides Ganesh Chaturthy, the occasion of Radha Ashtami was also celebrated with a gusto.
In the midst of flowery decorations and dazzling lights at Govind Gowdham situated on Hambran Road, the devotees turned up in hundreds to pay obeisance and catch a glimpse of the feet of Goddess Radha that remain hidden for the rest of the year. Devotees performed abhishek of the idol with milk, curd, honey and sugar and sought blessings of the goddess. Also, a flower were showered from an helicopter. Monika Malhotra of Kitchlu Nagar said, "It was a blissful experience to get the glimpse of the goddess' feet. The pious ambiance relaxed my senses and my heart pounded with joy."
While to eradicate vices and attain purification of soul, the Jain community observed eight-day fasting on the Samvatsari. Another event to be observed by the community is the 75th birth anniversary of Jain priest Amar Muni at Aatam Public School, Aatam Nagar, on Friday.
While the Sikhs observed the religious ritual of reading the scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib - Chaupaira - in Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Gurdwara on Wednesday wherein reading the scriptures was followed by a community meal. Pawan Gill of Model Town said, "I am attending Chaupaira from the last four weeks and its wonderful to see that not only the adults but a multitude of youngsters turn up to attend the four-hour religious ceremony."