The festival commemorates the launch of Khalsa panth by Sikh's tenth Guru Gobind Singh at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib in 1699. It also relates to the start of the season in which wheat is harvested in north India.
A large number of devotees offered prayers at Nanaknagar, Digiana, Rehari, Chand Kour and Talab tiloo among others in Jammu region and Nangali Sahib Gurdawara in Poonch.
Akhand Paths (48-hour non-stop recitation of Sikh scripture), kirtans (singing of hymns) and kathas (religious discourses) were undertaken to mark the celebrations.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah greeted the people on the festival.