NEW DELHI: Deepawali, the festival of light has been celebrated across the country with traditional fervour and gaiety. The festival marks the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya from his exile after vanquishing demon-king Ravana.
The festivities reached a peak in the national capital and other parts of India where people
decorated their homes and shops with colorful ‘rangolis’, flowers and lightings and lit earthen lambs.
In Jammu and Kashmir, felicitating Deepawali, the Indian and Pakistani armies today exchanged greetings and gifts on the Line of Control in Poonch district. AIR Poonch correspondent Darshan Bharati reports that the Indian troops headed by Col. V.P.Christopher and the Pakistani troops Headed by Col. Omar held a meeting at Chakkan da Bagh and wished for the peace and prosperity of each other’s countries.
At the Attari border joint check post, BSF men gifted buckets of sweets to their Pakistani counterparts.
In nearby Amritsar, thousands of people paid obeisance at the Golden Temple, which was illuminated with fancy electric lights.
Security was tight across the country and stricter in Delhi and Mumbai.
President, VP, PM, Sonia greet people
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and NAC Chairperson Sonia Gandhi have greeted the people on the occasion of Deepawali.
In her message, Mrs. Patil said Deepawali, the festival of lights, is a celebration of the victory of good over evil.
Vice President Mr. Ansari said Deepawali, which is celebrated throughout the country in a mood of festivity and gaiety, symbolises the triumph of good over evil, of light over darkness, of truth over untruth.
The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said it is significant that the festival is celebrated by people from diverse faiths and called it an affirmation of the great secular traditions of India.
The Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi also conveyed her greetings to all countrymen.