Ahead of Holla Mohalla, pilgrims make beeline for Anandpur Sahib

Amritsar, March 23

With only a few days left for Hola Mohalla, residents of the city have started their annual pilgrimage to Anandpur Sahib as is evident from a large number of tractor trolleys and trucks carrying devotees leaving for the religious place.

For the agrarian community, the attendance at the Hola Mohalla celebrations at Anandpur Sahib is a yearly tradition. Moreover, people are free from works related to farming. The annual pilgrimage is popular in both rural and urban areas.

Devotees can be seen travelling in tractor-trolleys, buses and cars with blue and ‘kesari’ flags on the bypass road. Even a large number of stalls selling these flags have come up on outer roads.

Langars at various places on route to Anandpur Sahib are being organised for pilgrims. Though unsafe for transporting humans, many farmers have modified tractor-trolleys to transport pilgrims. Moreover, these trolleys are equipped with LED screens, mattresses and mobile charging stations to make the journey on trolleys more comfortable.

“Every trolley has the mobile phone-charging facility. Some have also installed LCD screens or music systems for entertainment,” said Kewal Singh, a local resident.

As far as safety is concerned, the Akal Takht Jathedar too had appealed to devotees to take precautions. He asked the youngsters to not play loud music and minimize the use of plastic to check pollution.

Harpal Singh, a senior citizen, said, “Tractor-trolleys are not meant to be driven at high speed as these becomes out of control it.” He said let us hope that the celebrations would pass off peacefully.