Bandi Chhor Divas

History and Significance of Bandi Chhor Divas

Bandi Chhor Divas, also known as "Day of Liberation," is a festival that is observed by Sikhs to celebrate the day that Shri Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, was freed from Gwalior Fort. He had been detained there in the Gwalior Fort by Emperor Jahangir for a number of months. The phrase "Bandi Chhor Divas" means "Prisoner Release." The term "Bandi" means "imprisoned," "Chhor" means "release," and "Divas" means "day." Together, these words indicate "Prisoner Release." Both Bandi Chhor Diwas and Deepawali are considered to be distinct celebrations by Sikhs, and the two holidays actually occur on different calendar days. Despite this, it is usual practice for popular calendars to have both of these holidays falling on the same day. Due to this, a lot of people have a tendency to conceive of both of these events as taking place on the same day. It is remembered with great jubilation since it was a period in which "right" triumphed against "wrong" at the time.

Deepawali is not only a large celebration for everyone on the occasion of the return of Ayodhya Naresh Sri Ramchandra, but it is also a significant day of celebration for Sikhs, during which homes and Gurudwaras are illuminated with lights. These two holidays commemorate very distinct occurrences that took place throughout history. On the day of Bandi Chhor Diwas, the long-incarcerated Guru Hargobind was finally set free from Gwalior, and he was able to take with him 52 long-incarcerated Rajas, whose freedom was made possible by the Guru's wit. It is reported that the Guru arrived in Amritsar on the day of Deepawali, which is celebrated annually. When the Guru arrived in Amritsar, the locals lit up the entire city with thousands of candles, lights, and lamps in a manner that they had never done before; there was tremendous rejoicing and happiness.

The festival of Bandi Chhor Diwas takes place during the month of Assu on the evening of Amavas or Amavasya. The genuine Bandi Chorh Diwas is celebrated each year with much merriment and happiness at Gurudwara Data Bandi Chor Sahib in Gwalior. This event takes place just a few days before the festival of Deepawali.

Bandi Chhor Divas is the festival that commemorates the day that Guru Hargobind Sahib ji was freed from Gwalior prison by 52 Hindu monarchs and princes who were clinging to his garment or cape with 52 ropes. The guru saved the lives of all 52 innocent kings by preventing any evidence of conflict or fighting from occurring. In addition to a street procession known as a Nagar keertan and a route known as an Akhand. The Akhand route consists of a nonstop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, and its completion is commemorated by a fireworks show.

It was on the instructions of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir that Guru Arjan, the father of Guru Hargobind, was apprehended, and he was pressured to convert to Islam. Because of his rejection, he was put to death by torture in the year 1606 CE. This tragedy, known as the martyrdom of Guru Arjan, is a key landmark in the history of both India and the Sikh religion. The Sikh religion recognizes a total of ten spiritual leaders known as Gurus. Shri Guru Hargobind, also known as the sixth Nanak, was the sixth of these Gurus. As a result of the Mughul Emperor Jahangir's decision to have his father, GurubArjan, put to death, he became the Guru at the tender age of eleven. However, if we look back at history once more, we may see that there are numerous additional explanations for his imprisonment. 

Guru Hargobindji was taken into custody on the spurious allegations that he had failed to pay taxes that were owed from the period of his late father. According to the second account, the Nawab of Lahore, Murtaja Khan, reported to the Mughal Emperor Jahangir that the Guru had strengthened his army while simultaneously building the Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, which translates to "The Throne of the Almighty," in Amritsar after observing that the Guru had built the Sri Akal Takhat Sahib at Amritsar. In addition to this, he emphasized the fact that the Sikh Guru was formulating plans to exact vengeance for the torment and death of his father. After hearing this, Jahangir wasted no time in dispatching Wazir Khan and Guncha Beg to Amritsar in order to place Guru Hargobind under custody. 

 

But Wazir Khan, who happened to be an admirer of Guru Hargobind, rather than arresting him, requested the Guru to accompany them to Delhi telling him that Emperor Jahangir wanted to meet him. The young Guru accepted the invitation and soon reached Delhi, where Jahangir interned him at the Gwalior Fort in 1609. A Sikh Gurdwara, Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor Sahib, is located at the place of the Gurus internment in the Fort. There were several other noblemen and kings who were in the Gwalior Fort jail along with Guru Hargobindji. The "bandi" or inmates were held in prison for political reasons.

On Deepawali day, it was decided that Guru Hargobindji would be released. He insisted that the 52 kings wrongfully held like him, will walk out along with him to freedom. He was granted that wish. The 52 Hindu "Bandi" (imprisoned) kings and princes held on to their robes or cape with 52 ropes and walked out for liberation.

When they first met, Jahangir was entirely won over by the Guru's young charisma and holy demeanour. This occurred at their first encounter. Jahangir questioned the Young Guru over the relative merits of the Hindu and Muslim religions. The Guru spoke a few words that were taken from Kabir. This was an answer that left Jahangir feeling extremely impressed. After making the decision to make friends with the Guru, he greeted him with the utmost respect. After discovering that the Guru was also a passionate hunter, he extended an invitation to Guru Hargobind to join him on his shikars, popularly known as hunts.

During one of these expeditions, the Moghul Emperor was on the lookout for a lion that had been causing a lot of trouble for a nearby community. The fearsome beast lunged suddenly out of the thicket in the direction of Jahangir. Both gunshots and arrows were ineffective in stopping the lion's onslaught. When Guru Hargobind appeared, the beast was about to attack the Emperor, but Guru Hargobind intervened. He yelled at the lion that he had to first deal with him, raised his shield to deflect the lion's attack, and then killed the lion with a single stroke of his sword. Guru Hargobind and the thankful Emperor were rapidly becoming close friends at this point. The narrative goes on to explain that there was a wealthy merchant by the name of Chandu Shah who had a great deal of influence in the court of the emperor Jahangir. Chandu Shah was very dissatisfied with the monarch's close relationship with Guru Hargobind and expressed his displeasure to the emperor. It is speculated that he gave it his all in an effort to play the evil conspiracy in the hopes of severing the freshly blossoming fondling bond that existed between the two. The Emperor fell into a grave illness while he was at Agra. Even though the royal physicians gave it their all, they were unable to save his life. Chandu Shah, seeing his opportunity, plotted with the astrologers and asked them to convince the emperor that his illness was caused by an unfavourable convergence of the stars. Chandu Shah now had his chance.

It was explained to Jahangir that the only way for the illness to be cured was for a holy man to travel to the Gwalior Fort and regularly offer prayers to the deity that resided there. He proposed that his new acquaintance Guru Hargobind Ji should be asked to visit the Gwalior Fort because there was no one else who could possibly be more suitable for the task. Following the Emperor's request, the Guru quickly accepted and embarked on the journey to the Fort accompanied by a number of other people. In the interim, a prominent Sufi Saint named Sai Mian Mir, who was a friend of both the Guru and his father, had travelled to the Emperor's Court in order to meet with Jahangir and persuade him to release the Guru. The rest is history......