A Sikh pilgrim takes a holy bath with his child during a religious festival in Hasan Abdal near Islamabad in Pakistan, Friday, April 14, 2017. Sikh pilgrims arrived from neighboring India and other countries to attend the religious festival 'Besakhi' at a shrine of Gurdwara Punja Sahib, the second most sacred place for Sikhs. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)
April 14, 2017 - 8:39 AM
ISLAMABAD - Hundreds of Sikh pilgrims from across the world have arrived in Pakistan to celebrate their holy festival of Baisakhi, amid heightened security.
Baisakhi, or harvest festival, is celebrated mainly by Sikhs, who are a small minority in Pakistan.
The festival commences with Sikhs bathing and worshipping at a sprawling pond at a temple in Hasanabdal, about 25 miles away from Islamabad. The Sikh women, wearing colorful dresses, then sing songs and dance to drum beats.
Sikhs from India travel to Pakistan every year to participate in their holy festivals, as their places of worship are typically located in Pakistan's Punjab province, which was divided in 1947 when India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017