Artistes perform during the Baisakhi celebrations organised by Punjabi Bradri at SK Memorial Hall in Patna on Wednesday. Pictures by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, April 13: On Wednesday evening, Sri Krishna Memorial Hall was the place to be.

As the city celebrated Baisakhi, the moods of festivity and joy came to the fore. The fervour was particularly visible among the Punjabi community in the state capital.

The hall lit up as Punjabi Bradri and its ladies’ wing celebrated Baisakhi night.

The chief guest at the event was Brigadier G.K. Singh. He said: “Baisakhi is an important festival and the joy is only doubled when it is celebrated with you. I am very happy to be here.”

Loud cheers hailed Singh as he said whenever Punjabis come together, celebrations are bound of happen.

H.L. Gulati, the secretary of Punjabi Bradri, said: “Baisakhi is celebrated to mark the formation of the Sikh dharma. Moreover, when new crops are ready, farmers celebrate. Their lives are filled with joy during the season.”

Gulati also remembered the 360 Sikhs who were killed in the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy on this day in 1919.

Major M.S. Sarla said: “Baisakhi has different names in different states. Farmers across the country are happy during this part of the year because of their yields.”

Khayali, famous after his performances in the Laughter Challenge series, was the star guest and the host of the show. The audience burst into laughter, each time he cracked a joke.

In a conversation with The Telegraph Khayali said: “Even though I hail from Rajasthan, I am very close to Punjab. Each Baisakhi is special to me, as the new year begins with new harvest.”

He said this was an occasion for the Punjabis to feel proud and also for the whole country to celebrate. “Crops are ready in Punjab, but the whole country would feed on it,” he said, adding that he was “overwhelmed” to be present at this event.

Speaking on the occasion, the first lady of Punjabi Bradri, Kamlesh Malhotra, emphasised on the joy of togetherness. She said: “Dancing to the tunes of bhangra is what we enjoy the most. And this is not a celebration just for the sake of it. This is Baisakhi! Be it Bihar or Punjab, the occasion calls for massive celebrations everywhere.”

She added during Baisakhi, people come together and this instills a feeling of unity among people from all sections of society.

Chairperson of the ladies’ wing of Punjabi Biradri Poonam Saluja said: “The most special thing about the event is that we all celebrate it together. This enhances our joy to a great extent.”

A medley was presented by Twinkle, a group from Mumbai. Payal, the leader of the team, said: “We are glad to perform in Bihar, more so as this marks a special season in the Punjabi tradition.”

Vijay Bhagat, a 70-year-old publisher, takes part in the celebrations every year. Vijay has been associated with the event since his father K.K. Bhagat brought him to the programme. This year is his 20th appearance here.

Bhagat said: “It is a great experience for us to witness the Punjabi culture at this scale here in Bihar. It is not possible to celebrate such an occasion alone.”

Other participants Prabhjyot Singh and Dolly Sandhu said programmes like these reminded them of the country’s unity as a whole.