From a distance anyone could be mistaken to believe that Baba Ramdev was participating in the 107th Multan Jyot Mahotsav as it was his lookalike participating in the annual fair conducted by people from Multan at Har ki Paidi here. Thousands of electric lamps lighted the banks of the Ganga at Har Ki Paidi and earthen lamps were floated on the waters of the Ganga by the devotees, as a prayer for peace in the world.
Amidst devotional chants, fireworks and colorful ‘Holi’, Multan Jyot mahotsav was celebrated at Har Ki Paidi on Sunday. In the evening a march was conducted in which various important personalities and politicians including former State Chief Minister Harish Rawat and others participated.
The festival saw congregation of thousands of devotees from Delhi, Sonepat, Karnal and Panipat and nearby regions. The people come every year to offer prayers and earthen lamps in the Ganga. Even the localites played ‘dudh ki holi’ with the people of Multan coming all the way from Pakistan. Holding placards in their hands and tri coloured Indian flags, the throng of people moved towards Har ki Paidi.
The community people celebrated their togetherness with full gaiety and religious fervour. After offering milk to Ganga at Har Ki Paidi, pilgrims mixed milk with Ganga water and sprayed the milky water at each other with water guns. Speaking to The Pioneer, president of Akhil Bhartiya Yuva Multan Jyot Samiti, Daulat Ram and Dr Mahendra Nagpal said, “This festival is not limited only to the people of Multan but has encompassed all communities of India. People offer small lamps in Ganga river asking the goddess for fulfillment of wishes.”
The evening saw duplicates of famous cinema stars and the political leaders participating in the celebrations. The union minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, governor of Andaman and Nicobar Dr Jagdish Mukhi, BJP national secretary Shyam Jaju offered milk to the Ganga at Har Ki Paidi. Television actor Amit who is a duplicate of noted cinema star Amitabh Bachhan, and duplicates of Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare were the main attractions in the evening Mahotsav."
The festival has its roots way back in 1911, when a devotee Roop Chand of Multan region had walked on foot all the way from Pakistan with a message of universal brotherhood to Haridwar and offered a jyot (lamp) to the Ganga river. later on this took the form of festival and every year people of Multan who are settled in India come to Haridwar to mark this fest. People of other communities also gathered in solidarity with the Multan pilgrims at Har Ki Paidi and offer prayers.
