Chandigarh: Braving the early morning chill, scores of devotees today thronged 'gurudwaras' of Punjab and Haryana to pay obeisance to first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev, on his birth anniversary. People from different faiths offered early morning prayers on 'Gurpurab' and took part in 'Langars' and 'Shabad Kirtans'. They also took holy baths in lakes.   

The famed Golden temple in Amritsar was lit up for Gurpurab and tight security arrangements.   Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born in 1469 at Nankana Sahib near Lahore, now in Pakistan.   Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar extended greetings to people.  

"Guru Nanak Dev Ji's universal message of love, compassion, equality, peace, and brotherhood is not restricted to a pariicular caste, color, creed, religion or region, but transcends the barriers of time and space, thus making it relevant till eternity," Singh said.  

Over 2,600 Sikh pilgrims had left for Pakistan to attend the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev at the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Hasanabdal town in Pakistan's Punjab, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) officials said. PTI