Surjit Singh Flora
India has been a multilingual, multicultural, multireligious, multinational country for centuries, and every religion has its own customs and festivals. That is why India is also called the country of festivals. Western countries adopted multiculturalism only a few decades ago out of their labour and population needs, but India had already created such a society centuries ago. For thousands of years, people of different cultures, languages, religions, and beliefs have been living in communal harmony.
People in India have been celebrating numerous festivals for centuries, even prior to the emergence of religious organizations. The only beauty of Hinduism in the world is that it has never made itself an organized sect. The trend of organizing religion through the influence of priests, capitalists, and rulers has originated from the West. According to the Indian spiritual tradition, religion is the personal practice of each individual, which has no connection with any sect. That is why Hinduism, even today, does not have any fixed rituals or worship rituals like other organized religions; everyone is free to do anything according to their wishes. This is the reason why Indian people have lived together with mutual brotherhood and coexistence despite their different opinions, beliefs, and oppositions. India has been under the influence of oppressive rulers and organized religions for almost a thousand years. As a result, while Indian religions attempted to organize themselves, they were also significantly influenced by foreign religions.
My understanding is that many Indian folk festivals were closely associated with the seasons and agricultural practices. Vaisakhi and Diwali were the major folk festivals that people celebrated in their respective areas, each with their own customs and beliefs. Over time, these festivals became associated with or incorporated various historical or religious events. Gradually, organized religions, driven by their tendency to divide humanity, absorbed common folk festivals into their narrow-minded ideologies as part of their plans to separate people based on religion. The result of this evolution is that today people celebrate Diwali in the context of events related to or associated with their own community’s Diwali instead of the festival of shared happiness and lights. Similarly, just as the capitalist system has commercialized everything for profit, these festivals have also been categorized and commercialized.
Today, a Sikh considers going to a temple and celebrating Diwali a threat to religion, and a Hindu feels that it is our festival and has nothing to do with others. For Muslims and Christians, it is a festival of foreign (Indian) religions, so they cannot have anything to do with it, even though Muslims and Christians have been living in India for a thousand years. Indian Muslims have never been able to embrace Indianness; instead, they still trace their roots to the Arabs. This is their tragedy. Sikhs are born and raised in Indian society alongside Hindus. How can they be separate from this Indian culture? However, our religious leaders and priests are dividing society and fracturing the community by promoting Sikh festivals for their own narrow interests.
No historian has mentioned Bandi Chhor Divas anywhere in the Sikh Granth or Guru Granth Sahib ji. Even during the Guru period, there is no mention that Guru Hargobind Sahib travelled to Amritsar after his release from Gwalior Fort and lit Diwali or lamps on that day. According to Bhatt Vahiyan, Guru Hargobind Ji reached Amritsar in February and not on Diwali. In all Sikh histories of the 18th-19th centuries, the period of Misls, and during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Sikhs and Hindus used to celebrate this festival together. We have been seeing in our childhood (3-4 decades ago) that Dussehra and Diwali were celebrated together by all and Bandi-Chhor was never heard of. This trend started in the past 20 years and is increasing day by day. This trend is not aligned with the interests of Sikhs and Sikhism, and it goes against the Gurbani-based commonality of the Gurus.
In recent years, Sikhs have begun referring to Diwali as Bandi Chhor Divas in an effort to distinguish their celebration from that of Hindus. Thousands of years ago, Hindu priests had associated Diwali with the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya with his wife, Sita, and brother, Lakshman, after a 14-year exile. In the joy of their return home and victory over Ravana, the people of Ayodhya expressed their happiness by lighting oil lamps.
It marks the triumph of good over evil, symbolizing the return of Lord Rama and Sita to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile. As the story of the Ramayana tells, the people of Ayodhya lit thousands of lamps to welcome their king and queen back to the kingdom, marking the end of darkness and the dawn of a new era of righteousness. This momentous occasion, celebrated to this day, symbolizes the spiritual triumph of goodness over evil and the light that dispels ignorance and negativity.
Also, in the ancient scriptures and teachings of Hinduism, the triumph of good over evil is not just a mythological narrative but a living philosophy that inspires countless generations to strive for righteousness. Millions of people around the world celebrate the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, with great joy and devotion.
The Sikh celebration honours their rich history and the significant contributions of their sixth spiritual leader, Guru Hargobind. The celebration of Diwali among Sikhs commemorates the liberation of their sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, along with 52 other princes from captivity.
Sikhs refer to the day of Diwali as ‘Bandi Chhor Diwas.’ Today, the celebration of Bandi Chhor Divas features the illumination of the Golden Temple, accompanied by fireworks and additional festivities. The city was illuminated with lights and candles, reminiscent of how various communities observe Diwali.
Individuals from the Sikh community typically visit Gurdwaras to engage in prayer and meditation, in honour of their Guru. The day holds profound meaning for the Sikh community.
The narrative of Bandi Chhor Diwas:
On this day, 52 Hindu princes were graciously released from the Mughal Emperor Jahangir’s Gwalior Fort in Madhya Pradesh, India, thanks to Guru Hargobind. This is why Sikhs commemorate Bandi Chorr, the celebration of release from prison. Guru was presented with the opportunity for freedom but declined unless the other princes, akin to modern political prisoners or prisoners of conscience, were also set free. Emperor Jahangir astutely consented to the stipulation that only individuals capable of grasping the Guru’s cloak would be set free. The Guru instructed his Sikhs to create a cloak adorned with 52 tassels, which was then released alongside all the princes. The teaching from Guru Sahib emphasizes the importance of reflecting on the struggles of others prior to considering our own and highlights that the freedoms and rights of others hold greater significance than our individual concerns.
Therefore, the Sikhs have made Diwali Bandi Chhor for the last few decades. If someone wishes people a happy Diwali instead of celebrating Bandi Chhor, many Sikhs may view that person as an RSS agent and a supporter of Modi. Sikhs are becoming victims of communal division by some Sikh groups who are doing politics of violence and hatred day by day, which is a dangerous trend for the Sikh community living all over the world. Hatred based on religion and festivals can never be in the interest of the minority Sikh community living all over the world.
Come on! When the whole world has become a global village, let us all come together and celebrate all the folk festivals in the context of human brotherhood, leaving aside the divisions of religions, sects, countries, nations, languages, and beliefs. To counter the divisions in humanity caused by religious leaders for their own gain, let us work to move this folk festival from religious venues into the community.
Therefore, we can say that the festival of Diwali is a symbol of mutual love and harmony.
Embracing this message, Diwali reminds us that we can begin lighting another’s candle at home. Helping family members with chores, offering words of encouragement, or simply making time for loved ones can brighten their day. Outside the home, small acts of kindness-like posting a positive review for a local business or letting someone with a low-priced item move ahead in line-extend the spirit of Diwali to the wider community. These simple gestures, like the lamps lit in Ayodhya to celebrate the return of Lord Rama, bring light to the lives of others in meaningful ways.
Happy Diwali to everyone, and come on! Let us rise above religious disputes and divisions and light the lamps of wisdom within ourselves.
(The writer is a freelance writer and journalist who lives in Brampton)