Amritsar/Chandigarh, Nov 13 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Thursday cleaned shoes and utensils at the Harmandar Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple, in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar as Gurpurab - the birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev - was celebrated across the state.The main celebrations were at the Harmandar Sahib with thousands of devotees paying obeisance at the shrine since the early hours of Thursday.

Scores of devotees were seen at gurudwaras across Punjab.

Badal, accompanied by his wife, Surinder Kaur, reached the Golden Temple complex to pay obeisance. They first went to the shoes counter of the shrine and cleaned footwear of devotees who had come to the shrine.

Later, both went to the “Langar (community feast)” hall where they partook of the food and then washed the utensils used by the devotees.

Badal even served Langar to the devotees.

Gurudwaras across Punjab as well as in neighbouring Haryana and Himachal Pradesh were decorated with lights to celebrate the occasion.

Amidst singing of hymns and serving of food prepared for the Langar, most places wore a festive look. Langars were also organised by devout along highways for those travelling Thursday.

Guru Nanak Dev was born in 1469 at Nankana Sahib, a town near Lahore, now in Pakistan.

A 2,500-strong group of devotees had left for Pakistan Tuesday to take part in the Gurpurab celebrations at Nankana Sahib.