The festival of lights, Diwali, is observed every year to celebrate the victory of good over evil. In Sikhism, this festival is celebrated as the day of liberation and is related to the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji.

In 1609 AD, Guru Hargobind Ji started the construction of Loh Garh fort on the outskirts of the holy city of Amritsar for the safety of the city and its residents. Seeing this and the rising popularity of the Guru, Governor of Amritsar was alarmed and alarmed the then emperor Jehangir. On the advice of Governor and others in his court, the emperor was fearful of the Guru and ordered that he be imprisoned for 40 days at the Gwalior fort.

Rather than being a sanctuary of tranquility, Gwalior Fort was really a prison where enemies of the state, including 52 Rajput princes, were detained. True to his nature, Guru Hargobind Ji held daily prayers and the entire atmosphere turned cheerful. All inside the prison were happy, whilst the sangat outside greatly missed Guruji’s presence.

At this time, Mian Mir, a noted Sufi saint, traveled to the Emperor’s court and asked him to release the Guru. The emperor’s wife Nur Jahan also insisted that Guruji be released. Guruji, however, could not embrace his own fortune at the expense of the other prisoners and refused to leave the fort until all 52 of the Rajput princes were freed as well.

When this was put in front of the Emperor, he initially refused it. But then added a condition of his own: in order to be released from the fort, each prisoner must be holding on to the Guruji’s cloak as he walked out of the prison gates. The Emperor was pleased with himself because he was sure that a mere handful would be able to fulfill this condition.

Unbeknownst to him, however, the Guru delighted in this challenge by having his tailor make a special cloak with a very, very long train to which were tightly attached 52 tassels. At the appointed time, the Guru donned the heavy cloak, and his friends laid out the train, which stretched for yards behind him. The 52 princes picked the cloak up and grasped their tassels; 26 on the right and 26 on the left. Walking behind the Guru, careful not to let go, they stepped out into the sunlight and freedom, to the cheers of the Guru’s Sikhs. From this time on, Guru Hargobind was known as Bandi (prison) Chhor (liberator), and the day of liberation is celebrated as Bandi Chhor Divas (day).

Sikhs in the holy city of Amritsar and elsewhere in the world, commemorate Bandi Chhor Divas, by lighting hundreds of candles in the evening around the Gurdwara.

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