Know why Sikhs celebrate Diwali as ªª"Bandi Chhod Diwas"

New Delhi: Diwali, the festival of light, happiness and joy, is one of the major festivals of India. It is celebrated with great fervor and festivity across the country. Though India has a mixture of various culture and religions, almost every religion or culture has its own reason to celebrate this festival.But the common reason among all is that the day marks a time when "right" prevailed over "wrong". While the most famous and renowned reason to celebrate Diwali is the returning of Lord Ram along with Sita to Ayodhya after defeating Raavan. Sikhs have their own specific reason to celebrate Diwali.The Sikhs across the world celebrate this day as Bandi Chhod Diwas, a day on which Guru Hargobind Ji, the sixth Guru of Sikhs, returned to the holy city of Amritsar along with 52 kings, after his release from the Gwalior Fort in October 1619.It was when Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji had constructed Sri Akal Takht Sahib at Amritsar that, Murtaja Khan, the then Nawab of Lahore, informed the Mughal Emperor Jahagir, and instigated the Emperor against Guru Hargobind Ji, by saying that the Guru was strenghtening his army, and was preparing to take revenge of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji from Jahangir.To this, Jahangir immediately sent Wazir Khan and Guncha Beg to Amritsar in order to arrest Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. 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 which was accepted by Guru Hargobind Ji.When Jahangir met Guru Hargobind Ji, he was totally mesmerized by his persona and charm. On asking the Guru, about which religion is better out of Islam and Hinduism, the Guru quoted some lines of Sant Kabir, which further impressed the Emperor, and he decided to be friends with the Guru.Jahangir was further enthralled by Guru Hargobind Ji when the Guru saved the life of the Emperor from a lion during hunting. The increasing closeness between Jahangir and Guru Hargobind Ji wasn't appreciated by Chandu Shah, a rich and influential banker, who was once refused in Jahangir's court, with very derogatory remarks.When Jahangir fell seriously ill in Agra, and the royal physicians failed to cure him,Chandu Shah conspired with the astrologers and told the Emperor that his sickness was due to a bad convergence of the stars which could only be cured if some holy man would go to Gwalior Fort and continuously offer prayers to the deity there.It was then that the Mughal Emperor requested the Guru to go to the Gwalior Fort which was accepted by Guru Hargobind Ji, and he went to fort with several companions.In the fort, Guru Hargobind came across many Hindu Princes who were detained there due to political reasons and whose living conditions in the fort were terrible. Guru Hargobind along with the help of the governor of the fort, Hari Dass, improved the living conditions of the political prisoners. Later the Princes also joined the Guru in his daily prayers.In the meantime Sai Mian Mir, travelled to the Emperor's Court to meet with Jahangir asking him to release the Guru.Jahangir after his recovery told Hari Dass to release Guru Hargobind Ji. But the Guru refused to leave the fort without the Hindu Princes.Unwilling to release the Princes, but due to Guru's obligation, he kept a clever condition, that "whoever can hold on to the Guru's cloak can be released." The Guru with his heart full of compassion for the plight of others was determined to get the prisoners freed.He had a cloak made with 52 corners or tails. So, as the Guru walked out of the gate of the fort the fifty-two princes trailed behind, each holding on to his own tail of the Guru's special cloak. The Guru's cleverness had trumped Jahangir's clever condition and liberated the fifty-two princes. Guru Hargobind is therefore also known as Bandi-Chhor (Liberator).Guru Hargobind Singh Ji's return to the holy city of Amritsar was celebrated by his followers by lighting up the entire city. After almost four hundred years this tradition continues in Amritsar, and on this day the Harmandir Sahib is aglow with thousands of candles and floating lamps, strings of lights decorate the domes, and fireworks burst in the sky.

Know why Sikhs celebrate Diwali as ªª"Bandi Chhod Diwas"

New Delhi: Diwali, the festival of light, happiness and joy, is one of the major festivals of India. It is celebrated with great fervor and festivity across the country. Though India has a mixture of

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