Amritsar, March 29 : The biggest festival in politics—the Lok Sabha elections—has not only intensified political activities, but also brought a big cheer to the faces of boozers and liquor manufacturers.

A visit to villages in Punjab in the run-up to elections shows that it is party time in the countryside. Country liquor is being offered to all those who fancy it with gusto and without gumption.

Like political leaders, who are busy campaigning to woo voters by hook or crook, liquor manufacturers are meeting the high demand for ambrosia.

Ludhiana, Mar 26 : Torrential rains have damaged Rabi crops in Ludhiana, causing huge losses to local farmers.

Distraught farmers in the city say surprise rains and hailstorms have ruined their wheat crops.

"For last three to four days there is a strong wind blowing accompanied by rain. As a result of this, there are clouds in the night due to which our wheat crop is getting damaged. We have lost one fourth of the wheat crop due to the rains," said Harcharan Singh.

Amritsar, Mar 24: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Tuesday morning paid obeisance at the Sri Harmandir Sahib also known as the Golden Temple.

Dr. Singh along with his wife Gursharan Kaur offered thanks giving prayers after his successful coronary by-pass surgery.

Before entering the sanctom sanctorum, the Prime Minister did ''Parikrama'' of Sri Harmandir Sahib and then listened to the ''path'' and ''ardaas''. He spent more than half-an-hour there.

Before leaving for New Delhi, Dr. Singh also visited the Durgiana Temple.

Bathinda, Mar 22 : The magnificent Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, the fifth Takht or seat of temporal authority of Sikhism is situated at Bathinda in Punjab. The place holds vital importance as the tenth Guru of Sikhs Guru Gobind Singh prepared the revised and authentic version of the Sikh scriptures called Sri Guru Granth Sahib here in 1705.

Located at village Talwandi Sabo, 17 miles southwest of Bathinda City, Guru Gobind Singh arrived here at the invitation of Chaudhari Dalla, a landowner.

The place is now called Damdama Sahib, which means `the resting place'.

Lahore, Mar.