I am sharing this post today on the morning of Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas this year.

Two years previously we had a more somblre celebration… Here’s my explanation!

Happy Diwali Peeps!

Today, the 11th of November is Remembrance Day, as it is every year, but it is also, this year, the day that Hindus will be celebrating Diwali or Deepavali and Sikhs should celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas.

I say should as there has been issues in the Punjab this year where our leaders in the Golden Temple in Amritsar have declared a ‘Black Diwali’. I shall try and convey the meaning behind the festivals in this post, show you how we usually celebrate, and also explain about this ‘Black Diwali’ too.

Diwali is also known as the festival of lights, where Hindus celebrate the homecoming of their God Rama and his wife Sita, after an exile of 14 years.  There is also a connection with the Goddess Laxshmi, though I do not profess to be any expert, seeing as I am not Hindu!

As a Sikh, we celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, also known as Liberation Day.  This marks the day that our sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Singh Ji, was released from a prison in Gwalior, after being held there by Mughal Emperor, Jahangir. He had been imprisoned as Jahangir thought he was a threat, wearing two swords, and setting up a formal court, the Akal Takht.  After holding him for an unknown time, he realised that Guru Hargobind Singh Ji was not a threat, and deemed him safe, thereby ordering his release.  At this time, in the prison, alongside Guruji, there were also 52 Rajas, or princes, that had been held, for opposing the Mughal empire.  They looked upon Guru Hargobind Singh Ji as a spiritual leader.  He requested that they also be released, alongside him. Jahangir stated that as many Rajas that could hold onto Guruji’s clothes could be released. Guruji had a special cloak stitched with 52 tassles attatched so all the Rajas could hold on. They were all released and the day they arrived back at the holy city of Amritsar coincided with Diwali, where lamps and divas were lit. Hence we celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas on the same day as Diwali every year

There is not a set date for this festival, as most Indian calendars rely on lunar months, rather than the western calendar, so these festivals could be in October or November.

How do we celebrate?

I shall show you what we did last year!

Lil Princess and I used henna on our hands.

This isn’t something we do regularly, but Lil Princess wanted to, so we did! Then we got changed into appropriate clothing!

We went to the Gurdwara to pay our respects.

There we also lit divas or candles, to create the light that Guruji returned to Amritsar in.

There were fireworks lit at the Gurdwara in celebration too.

We lit candles and divas at home too, as there should be light in our homes on this day. Then we tucked into a feast of goodies prepared by my dear mother in law!

This year it will be a quieter affair. The Akal Takht, in Amritsar has declared this a Black Diwali, where there will be no huge fireworks celebrations, as over the past few months there have been many occasions where across India there has been desecrations of the Holy Book, the Guru Granth Sahib.  We will still pay our respects, but the celebrations will be muted this year.

The reasoning behind this ‘black diwali’ are stated in this article. To read original, please click here.

Sikhs will not be celebrating Bandi Chhor Divas (Diwali) this year

Amritsar, Punjab: Pained over the recent incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in the state, Sikh community has decided not to have fireworks and ceremonial lighting at the Golden Temple this Diwali as well as Gurparb of Guru Ram Das on October 29.

Sikh community organizers has also appealed to the Sikh community to refrain from having fireworks and ceremonial lighting on the two festivals and this day will be known as “Black Diwali”.

“Guru Granth Sahib gives a message of peace and brotherhood, but Akali Dal Badal and SGPC are trying to spoil the peace of Punjab; and we fail to understand why,” says sikh community organizers said, adding: “The people behind these acts have no religion.”

Sikh organizers gathered at Bargari village in Faridkot district on Sunday, at the bhog ceremony of the two innocent Sikhs killed by police firing during a silent peaceful gathering against sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib ji, had made a resolution that called for observing ‘Black Diwali’.

The lights and fireworks at the Sachkhand Sri Darbar Sahib (currently under the hold of SGPC and Akali Dal Badal) on Diwali and Gurparb attract pilgrims from all over the world.