DIWALI or BANDI CHOR DIWAS?? WHY SIKHS CELEBRATE THE SAME? The Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahibji, was freed from imprisonment in the famous fort of Gwalior by Emperor Jahangir in October, 1619. The reason for the young Guru’s imprisonment was nothing more than religious bigotry. Guruji’s father, Guru Arjan Devji, had been martyred for the same reason. According to Sikh tradition, Guruji agreed to be freed only if the other Indian chiefs (rajahs) imprisoned with him were freed. Jahangir was under pressure from moderate but influential Muslim religious leaders like Hajrat Mian Mir, a friend of Guruji. So he relented grudgingly and ordained, Let those rajahs be freed who can hold on to the Guru’s coat tails and walk out of prison. He had in mind no more than four or five being freed with the Guru. However, the Guru was not to be outmanoeuvred in this way. He asked for a special coat to be made with 52 coat tails - same number as the rajahs in prison with him! And so the rajahs were freed and the Guru became known popularly as the Bandi Shor(Shodh) (Deliverer from prison). He arrived in Amritsar on the day of Diwali and Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) was lit with hundreds of lamps to celebrate his return; the day came to be known as the Bandi Shor(Shodh) Divas (the day of freedom).
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 05:47:47 +0000
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