Madhya Pradesh: Gwalior connection of Sikh Diwali

According to the Sikh belief, Guru Hargobind released 52 Hindu kings from the Fort which the Sikh celebrated by lighting lamps.

Gwalior: The upcoming festival of colours Diwali is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm in Hindu religion. As per the Hindu belief, the festival marks the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and is celebrated with great joy by lighting ghee lamps. But apart from Hinduism, the festival of Diwali is also celebrated with great joy in Sikh religion and it started from Gwalior.

A majestic historical Gurudwara is situated on the world famous fort of Gwalior is known as Databandi Chod. People of Sikh community pay obeisance here from all over the world and from this Gurudwara, where the Sikh devotees celebrate the Diwali, otherwise the festival of the Hindus. According to the Sikh belief, the Sikh Diwali at the Gurudwara dates back to the year 1606 when after the murder of his father, Guru Hargobind Singh was given the responsibility of assuming the position of his Guru at a young age.

According to the Sikh belief, at that time, their community was under the oppression of the Mughal Empire. Seeing the growing influence of Guru Hargobind at the age of 11, the Mughal ruler Jahangir captured him and imprisoned him in a jail located at Gwalior. When Guru Hargobind reached inside the jail, there were already 52 Hindu kings inside it.

Guru Hargobind Sahib's influence inside the jail did not work and he made 52 Hindu kings imprisoned inside the jail his own, the Sikh belief says. The same 52 Hindu kings also welcomed Guru Hargobind. During this time, one day Jahangir fell ill and despite receiving continuous treatment, there was no visible improvement in his illness.

Since there was no relief in his illness, one day Jahangir called the Qazi, who told him that the reason for the illness was imprisonment of the Guru in the fort. Jahangir was surprised to hear this from Qazi. On the advise of the Qazi, Jahangir issued an order to release Guru Hargobind Sahib from inside the prison.

As soon as this order reached Guru Hargobind Sahib, he refused to be relieved which made King Jahangir furious. It is said that Guru Hargobind Singh got a kurta stitched which had 52 parts. One by one, all the 52 kings took a part of Guru Hargobind Sahib's kurta and all of them were freed from jail. That is why this Gurudwara is also called Ko Data Bandi Chhor.

When Guru Hargobind Sahib came out after releasing 52 kings, the Sikh community celebrated the occasion by lighting lamps which initiated the celebration of Diwali among the Sikhs.