The Arora family—Satpal Singh, Mallika Kaur, daughter Komal Kaur, and son Jasmehar Singh—from Nerul, Navi Mumbai, light diyas at their altar and make the effort to go to the gurdwara as a family on Bandi Chhor Divas. Pic/Sameer Markande

“Guru Hargobind gave Sikhism its military character,” informs community scholar and author Manpreet J Singh. “He was appointed guru at the age of 11, after the execution of his father Guru Arjan, by Jehangir. He wore two swords—miri and piri—to symbolise temporal and spiritual power.” He also established the Akal Bunga, now known as Akal Takht, as the seat of the judiciary for community matters.

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By the time he was 16-17 years old, Hargobind ji had consolidated the Sikhs into such a fighting power that he was imprisoned by Jehangir in Gwalior Fort which already held 52 Rajput princes—in some versions, kings—who had rebelled against the Mughal empire.

At Gurudwara Shri Dashmesh Darbar in GTB Nagar, besides the usual langar and akhand path, members of the community distribute sweets and even contribute by buying the large utensils needed to cook for the community. Pic/Anurag Ahire

“One version of the legend says a prisoner advised the kings to observe Gurbani ka paath for their release,” says Amrik Singh Matta, a retired civil engineer who is an invitee committee member for many community and gurudwara affairs. “When our guru was also imprisoned there, they saw it as a sign of their impending release. The prisoners were tied to the pillars of the fort, and Gurudwara Shri Data Bandi Chor Sahib marks the place now.”

After 12 years, upon the intervention of Sufi saint Mian Mir and Wazir Khan, the then governor of Lahore, Hargobind ji’s release was ordered. “However, he refused to leave without taking the Rajput princes/kings with him,” says Matta. “[sic] Mr Jehangir agreed to release them on one condition—he could take as many of them as would hold on his dress. Unhonne apne sevako se kehke ek special dress banvaya…”

Manpreet J Singh

This choga, Singh informs us, had 52 kallis or panels. Nerul resident and homemaker Mallika Arora remembers it as a kurta with 52 doris or strings. Whatever the detail, it was this that the Rajput royalty held on to as the guru left the prison on his horse.

“When he came to Amritsar,” says Matta, who lives in Sion, “it was Diwali day and the whole city was lit up with lamps to welcome him.” Just as Ayodhya was for Lord Ram’s homecoming. “With this, the two traditions of different religions merged to gain another dimension.” It also strengthened the brotherhood between the two religions—traditionally, the first-born son in Punjabi Hindu households was inducted into Sikhism.

Sikh families such as the Aroras of Nerul celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas just as they would Diwali—with the lighting of lamps and distribution of sweets. “There’s no special food or dish associated with the festival,” says Matta, “Some people make gud-chawal or kheer, many just buy sweets as we would anyway for Diwali.”
 “In Sikhism,” explains Singh, “every individual celebration is always accompanied by community ones. Many families go to the gurudwara in the evening to light diyas and candles, with sweets to be distributed among members of the sangat.”  

“We have a langar, and kada prashad is distributed every day anyway,” says Arora, who visits the gurdwara daily. Then there’s an akhanda paath being read on behalf of someone, as well as the gurdwara. These days, our special effort is really in making it to the gurdwara together as a family.”

Some of the larger gurudwaras, such as the ones in Kharghar, Dadar and Sion may arrange special kirtan programmes and langars. “Everyone partakes in the tenant of sewa or service as per their capacity,” says Arora, “Some may help in the cooking of the langar, some in serving it, others in a monetary capacity. We do all three as and when we can.”

To commemorate the martial element of Hargobind ji’s contribution, some gurudwaras in north India host demonstrations of the traditional Sikh martial art—Gatka—performed by both men and women.

“More important than the actual celebrations and rituals,” says Singh, “is the symbolism of Bandi Chhor Divas: To look beyond one’s self to the larger good and cultivate the moral strength to stand in solidarity with those in an oppressive system. On a spiritual level, it reinforces that if you believe in your guru, s/he can lead you to freedom from ego and ignorance.”