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Bandi Chhorh Diwas is a day on which Guru Hargobind Sahib was released with 52 Kings from Gwalior Prison. The word “Bandi” means “imprisoned”, “Chhor” means “release” and “Diwas” means “day” and together “Bandi Chhor Divas” means Prisoner Release Day. It is celebrated with great joy as it was a time when “right” prevailed over “wrong”.

The Mughals had held many hundreds of prisoners who were thought to be “political prisoners” but otherwise were innocent leaders of their communities. They had been held without trial or any other legal process; jailed by brutal force; held against their wishes.

The Guru had found a way to get 52 of these innocent leaders released from the prison without a battle. The Guru did 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.

A condition was laid down by the Mughals that in order to be released from the fort, each prisoner must be hold on to the Guru’s cloak as he walked out of the prison gates. The Mughal Emperor was sure that a mere handful would be able to fulfill this condition.

The Guru delighted this challenge by ordering his tailor to make a special cloak with 52 tassels.

The Guru donned this heavy cloak and the 52 princes grasped the tassles of the cloak; 26 on the right and 26 on the left.

Walking behind the Guru, they stepped out in the sunlight of freedom.

From this time onwards, Guru Hargobind was known as Bandi (prison) Chhor (liberator), and the day of liberation is celebrated as Bandi Chhor Divas (day). It had been a long process as the Guru spent many years in custody, however, in the end the unjust government had to “give in” to the Guru’s just demands.

People light up the whole city with candles, lights, and lamps. On this day Harimandir Sahib is aglow with thousands of candles and floating lamps, strings of lights decorate the domes, and fireworks burst in the sky.

The shine and the warmth of the candles brighten the walkways & porch in front of the Gurdwara casting a glow upon the delightful young faces.

Sikhs commemorate Bandi Chhor Divas, by lighting hundreds of candles in the evening around the Gurdwara, chanting shabads in praise of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, preparing a festive Guru ka Langar, and basking in the spirit of joy and festivity.

~ Source: Sikhi Wiki
~ Edited by Tapasleen Kaur

Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji !

Please read this entire paragraph, it will change your perspective.

The night before the battle of Chamkaur Sahib, Guru Sahib and the whole Khalsa Fauj was sleeping at a sevadaar named Roop Chand Ji’s house. While staying in Anandpur Sahib for the last 8 months, the whole Fauj barely slept and and barely ate.

At Roop Chand Ji’s house, they finally ate a full meal and all the GurSikhs decided to sleep, all except for Bhai Madan Singh Ji, who stayed up for guard duty. But barely having sleep for the past 8 months, he was very tired. All the other GurSikhs fell asleep right away.. but Bhai Madan Singh knew that he had to stay awake because he was on guard duty and he had to make sure that no one came to attack at night.

So while on guard duty, Bhai Madan Singh Ji was so tired that every few minutes, his eyes started closing and his head leaned down. Every time this would happen, he would abruptly pull his head back up and tell himself to wake up. But still, being sleep deprived for 8 months.

Bhai Madan Singh was having a very hard time staying awake. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was also awake. While Bhai Madan Singh Ji was guarding, Guru Gobind Singh Ji came upstairs and as Bhai Madan Singh Ji saw him, he quickly jumped up and put his hands together saying, “Guru Sahib, why are you still up, how come you aren’t sleeping?”

Guru Gobind Singh Ji replied to him saying, “Madan Singh.. in my life many people have come to me to ask for things, to beg for something, to ask for favors.. but today, I want to ask you for a favor. I want to ask you to give me something.”

When Bhai Madan Singh heard this from Guru Sahib, he started to cry saying “What can I offer? You are Sache Patsha… Guru Gobind Singh Jee. I am not even worthy to the dust of your feet, what can I offer you?”

Hearing this, Guru Sahib replied by telling him how hard and bravely he and the whole Fauj had been fighting despite of lack of food/sleep. He knew how tired they all were.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji asked for his favor.. “Madan Singh, I want you to go to sleep so I can stay on guard duty.” Hearing this, Bhai Madan Singh started weeping and said “No.. but you are the Guru and you have also had a tough time.

You should go to sleep Guru Sahib Jee, this is my duty.. please sleep.” But Guru Gobind Singh Ji still refused. Hearing this Bhai Madan Singh told Guru Sahib that they could do the guard duty tomorrow. He wanted Guru Ji to get atleast one good night of sleep. But Guru Gobind Singh Ji told him that who knows if tomorrow night is going to come? Who knows if we are still going to be alive? Bhai Madan Singh Jee didn’t want to give up the guard duty but his hand, holding the shastar, was shaking so much that he let Guru Sahib stay on guard duty and went to sleep.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj stayed up on guard duty all night. Not caring about himself, just his Khalsa Fauj, his committed children. While on guard duty, he was walking around and he came to the room where all his GurSikhs were sleeping.. and what he noticed was that all his Fauj was so tired that they were completely out of reality. Some of their dastars had fallen off their heads that’s how deeply lost in they were in their sleep. Guru Sahib also noticed that the GurSikh’s hand’s were swollen and bruised up because the last 8 months, they were holding shasters for 17-18 hours a day. Their feet were also swollen. So Guru Gobind Singh Jee decided to go to each GurSikh and put his head in their lap, so he could tie their dastars again. He did that to every single GurSikh sleeping in that room. After that, Guru Sahib decided to massage every single GurSikh’s hands/feet that were all swollen and bruised up.

The next morning the Khalsa Fauj woke up feeling extremely rested. They were very thankful for finally having slept after 8 months of hard work. Guru Gobind Singh Ji never told them about that night and how exhausted they were. He just looked at his GurSikhs, chest broad with pride, and they continued forth on their journey.

Sangat Ji, that is how much our Dasmesh Pita loves us. When we commit to him fully and are to the point of exhaustion, he puts our head on his lap and forgives us for all of our past deeds. With love he helps us get a full recovery and he doesn’t even tell us about it. He gives us so much and we take it for granted sometimes.
Dhan Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Jee Dasmesh Pita, putran de danee.

Please Do Share..!!!!

~ Source: www.facebook.com/gurunanakphulwari

The Belgian Conseil d’Etat up helds the freedom of religion of sikh students by voiding the van on Sikh Turban in two Go schools, which are the part of a large group of schools attended by Sikh students. The GO schools has the obligation to organise its education without providing any harm to the Sikh integrity.

United Sikhs, an international advocacy NGO had led a legal campaign to reverse the ban on the Sikh Turban. Its legal team has been at the forefronts of the roller-coaster battle since 2006.
“After many years of peaceful resistance, the Sikhs have been proved right,”said Pieter Lagae, UNITED SIKHS’ Belgian lawyer.

Sharanjit Singh, 13 yr old was forced to remove his patka and attend a belguim school for the past one year. Sharanjit’s father, Surjit Singh added “Sharanjit is a rather shy boy, afraid of doing things wrong or being excluded. Following the ban he took off his patka very much to his distress. I am very happy that the Conseil d’Etat has overturned the ban and I hope my son will be able to put the past year behind him and look ahead to a good future,”

“The Conseil d’Etat has claimed, in essence, that a school cannot simply impose a ban on wearing outward symbols of religious belief without having grounds for doing so (such as disturbing the peace, proselytising, etc.). If a school nevertheless does this, it represents an excessive breach of the internationally protected fundamental right to religious freedom (art. 9 ECHR),” said Pieter Lagae, Sharanjit’s lawyer.

The team of United Sikhs appreciates the efforts of Conseil d’Etat for securing the religious beliefs of the Sikhs. The Counseil d’Etat now declares that the wearing of turban by a Sikh is not only his/her religious duty but is a part of his/her identity. The campaign embarked by The United Sikhs succeeded in their efforts to ensure that the Sikh beliefs and the freedom of religion are upheld.

~ Source: United Sikhs

It was a dark cold night with a strong breeze on 29 Jan 2013 at Amritsar’s Ranjit Avenue as we stepped out of the hotel at 3 am.

In a few minutes we landed up at the rear entrance of the Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple, as most of the world knows it. Walking barefoot on the white marbled floor across the front of the community kitchen (langar) hall sent a chill up the spine. Clutching the shawl tightly, I was already weighing the possibility of moving without the holy dip at the pool (sarovar). Gliding through the cold water in the ‘feet-wash basin’ made me realize that my resilience was better than what I had assumed. As I stood at the centre of the gate (Dwar), the sight of the golden abode held me spellbound with its serenity. As I stepped onto the periphery ‘Parikrama’, I bowed prostrate in reverence, more in submission to the surreal atmosphere.

Suddenly, the inertia vanished and I was surprised at the pace at which I shed my clothes and ambled into the pool. The first impact of the cold water on the body was shockingly freezing but the speed did the trick and I was fully submerged in the chilly nectar for a few seconds. The thermal shock turned into a warm strength that enveloped me as soon as I was out. Quickly, I dressed up and moved on with a new found energy. The shining lights and the reflection of the golden aura in the waters coupled with the soulful touching kirtan that wafted across, gave a heavenly feeling to the whole atmosphere.

I walked across the Parikrama with quick steps and reached the viewing entrance Darshani Deorhi that is the entrance to the divine islanded temple. The kirtan got more louder as I approached the main temple and the view got closer. As I stepped onto the sanctum sanctorum, I was surprised at the jostling yet silent crowd at that hour. The sight of the holy Guru’s empty palanquin (palki) and the kirtan going on did bring about an atmosphere that was charged with divine overawing presence. Slowly, i bowed down to my knees and touched my forehead to the carpet. The moments froze as I felt the urge to remain in that submissive mode for a long time. I brought myself up and walked to the first floor through the narrow curving staircase. Picking up the prayer book (Nitnem Gutka), I sat down close to the railing wherein I could see the empty palanquin from the top.

The feeling was as if the time had frozen and there was no sound except the touching kirtan going on. In some time, I finished my prayers and leaned my head on the railings. It felt like I was in God’s lap, cocooned from the materialistic Kalyug heat. The warmth of that feeling brought small droplets of tears in my eyes as the ‘viraagmayi’ kirtan notes turned reclusive and detached. It felt better and more secure than the childhood memories of the warmth of my mother’s lap. I was in a stupor and hypnotised by the symphony that the kirtan strings played with my heart chords. Eyes closed, I was trying to live every second through the divine words that were in the air. It felt as if I was just one step away from meeting God.

I don’t even recall the time that was spent away in the melodious harmony. Soon, the palanquin (Sawari Sahib) of the holy guru was brought in with chants of prayers. We all stood up and the supplication (Ardaas) was performed. The magnificent sight was beholding and gripping. The kirtan resumed after the holy sermons were read out from Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

I walked out slowly, took the hot sacred sweet pudding (Karah Parshad) from the volunteer (Sewadar) swaying to the kirtan beats unconcerned of the chilly breeze blowing on his face. As I was walking out, I felt dissapointed that it was only a couple of hours that I could spend at the Golden Temple.

~ by a Passionate Idiot