The Sikh community celebrates the day of Diwali as Bandi Chhod Diwas.
Ayodhya lit up with lamps to celebrate the return of Maryada Purushottam Ram and with this the festival of Diwali began. This day also has special significance for the Sikh community. On 16 October 1619, the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, Shri Hargobind Sahib Ji was freed from the captivity of the Mughals from the Gwalior Fort. Guru Sahib had refused to leave the fort without the release of other kings imprisoned along with him. Jahangir had to accept his condition.
On the night of his release, Haridas, the owner of the mansion where Guruji stayed, celebrated by lighting a lamp. Since then the Sikh community expresses its happiness through “Bandi Chhor Diwas” on the day of Diwali. Read its history.
Proficient in all arts at the age of just thirteen
On June 19, 1595, Shri Harigobind Ji, son of Guru Arjan Sahib, was born from the womb of Mother Ganga. He spent his childhood in Wadali, Tarn Taran and Chak (Amritsar). Bhai Gurudas ji provided him education. Learned horse riding from Baba Budha ji. At the age of just 13, he had become proficient in all the arts. From his three marriages between 1604 and 1620, he had six children, Guruditta, Guru Tegbahadur, Surajmal, Anirai, Atalrai and Bibi Biro. He faced two Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shahjahan. During the period 1635 to 1645, he lived in the hills of Kiratpur.
Mughal emperor Shahjahan.
Expanded the military power of Sikhs
After ascending the throne on 25 May 1606, Guru Shri Harigobind ji started expanding the military strength of the Sikhs along with religious activities. Also held the title of “True Emperor”. Jahangir disliked it. According to some historians, Chandushah had a role in turning Jahangir against Guruji. Shah had proposed marriage of his daughter to Guru Hargobind Sahib, which he rejected. It is believed that due to this personal resentment, Chandu Shah reached the court of Emperor Jahangir to take revenge and conspired against him.
Angered Jahangir imprisoned
Guru Harigobind Sahib’s policy of arming the Sikhs enraged Jahangir. According to historian Bakshish Singh, Jahangir called Guru ji in the court and pressurized him to pay the fine imposed on Guru Arjan Dev. After his refusal, he was imprisoned and sent to Gwalior Fort to face punishment. According to Bakshish Singh, there is a difference of opinion on how many days Guru Harigobind ji remained imprisoned. Some say it is twelve years, some five and others say two years of imprisonment. According to the Sikhs, he remained imprisoned for only forty days. Whatever may have been the duration, the hardships and tortures of imprisonment could not make Guru Ji deviate from his ideals and principles.
Jahangir, son of Mughal emperor Akbar.
The fort became a pilgrimage site
After Jahangir imprisoned Guru Harigobind Ji, Gwalior Fort became a pilgrimage site for the Sikhs. All the Sikhs would reach there and express their reverence by kissing the walls of the fort in which Guruji was imprisoned. Many kings already imprisoned in the fort were also greatly influenced by him. This information also changed Jahangir’s thinking. A Muslim peer who had great respect for Guruji also played a role in this. Jahangir was greatly influenced by this peer. He told Jahangir that Guru ji was noble and innocent and it was wrong to imprison him.
Guru Harigobind Ji did not accept release alone.
Jahangir issued an order to release Guru Harigobind ji. But the news of his release saddened the other kings imprisoned along with him. Unmindful of the hardships he faced in captivity, Guru ji said that he would accept his release only if other prisoners were also released. By this time Jahangir had also been greatly impressed by the greatness of Guruji. He approved the release of 49 Hindu kings with lesser punishment. But Guruji was not satisfied with this. His demand was for the release of 52 other kings.
The sixth Guru of Sikhs, Shri Hargobind Sahib Ji.
This is how 52 kings got relief from imprisonment
Jahangir also accepted that demand of Guru Harigobind ji. But with an interesting condition. Jahangir’s order was that among the 52 kings who were sentenced for a long time, only those who were able to come out by holding the buds (edges, hems) of Guruji’s robe would be released. Guruji freed all the kings from imprisonment by getting a robe with 52 buds stitched from Haridas Yadav Inspector.
Guruji’s devotees gave him the title of “Bandi Chhod Baba”. Guru Harigobind ji and other kings were released on 16 October 1619. That night they all stayed in the mansion of Haridas Yadav Inspector. The inspector celebrated by decorating the mansion with lamps. With this, the Sikh community started celebrating the release of Guru Harigobind ji by decorating the lamp on the day of Diwali as “Bandi Chhod Diwas”.
According to Bakshish Singh, after this Jahangir had friendly relations with Guru Harigobind Ji. Chandushah was humiliated and later he was also murdered. Shaikh Ahmed Sarhadi, on whose instigation he had martyred Guru Arjan Sahib, was imprisoned and kept in the same fort of Gwalior where Guru Harigobind ji had suffered imprisonment.
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