About Bandi Chhor Divas
Bandi Chhor Divas, the Day of Liberation, is the Sikh observance that falls on the same night as Diwali, and in 2026 it is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Sikhs remember Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, walking out of Mughal captivity at Gwalior Fort with 52 imprisoned kings holding on to his cloak, and his return to Amritsar, where the Harmandir Sahib is still lit up that night.
Bandi Chhor means "release of prisoners". The day shares a date and a lot of lamps with Diwali, but the reason for the lamps is different. Sikhs are not welcoming Lakshmi or remembering Rama's return. They are remembering a Guru who was offered his freedom and said he would not take it unless others came with him.
What happened on Bandi Chhor Divas?
Bandi Chhor Divas commemorates the release of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, from imprisonment in Gwalior Fort by the Mughal emperor Jahangir, and the release of 52 imprisoned kings with him. Sikh tradition tells the story this way.
Hargobind became Guru in 1606, as a boy, after his father Guru Arjan was executed on Jahangir's orders. He built the Akal Takht in Amritsar and began wearing two swords, one for spiritual authority and one for temporal power, a doctrine called miri-piri. The Mughal court grew wary of him. On the pretext that a fine imposed on Guru Arjan had never been paid, and helped along by the intrigue of a rival named Chandu Shah, Jahangir had the young Guru confined in Gwalior Fort.
The Sufi saint Mian Mir is said to have pleaded with Jahangir for his release, and the emperor agreed. The Guru refused to go alone. Held in the same fort were 52 Rajput hill kings, and he asked that they be freed too. Jahangir, according to the story, set a condition: only those who could hold on to the Guru's clothing as he walked out could leave with him. The Guru had a cloak made with 52 panels, and every one of the kings left holding one.
He reached Amritsar around the time of Diwali, and the Sikhs there lit the city with lamps. That welcome is what Sikhs repeat every year.
Why do Sikhs mark the day on Diwali?
Sikhs mark Bandi Chhor Divas on Diwali because the Guru's return to Amritsar is remembered as coinciding with the Diwali lamps. The link is also older than the Guru's release. Guru Amar Das, the third Guru, had already asked Sikhs to gather at Goindwal on Diwali and Baisakhi, and the scholar J. S. Grewal notes that Diwali in the Sikh tradition predates the Hargobind story.
Two other Sikh memories attach to the same night. Amritsar itself is dated to 1577. And in 1737 or 1738 Bhai Mani Singh was executed after the Mughal governor of Lahore allowed a Diwali gathering at Amritsar in return for a payment, then planned to attack it. Mani Singh warned the Sikhs away, the gathering never happened, the money could not be raised, and he refused to convert to save his life. His death is remembered as part of this season.
The name "Bandi Chhor Divas" was formally written into the Nanakshahi calendar in 2003, to mark the day as a Sikh observance in its own right. Its date, though, is still worked out by the lunar Bikrami calendar, which is why it stays on the new moon of Kartik with Diwali every year.
How do Sikhs observe Bandi Chhor Divas?
Sikhs observe Bandi Chhor Divas at the gurdwara more than at home: kirtan in praise of Guru Hargobind, Ardas, langar, and lamps and candles around the building after dark.
| Place | What happens there |
|---|---|
| Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar | The complex is lit with lamps and lights, with fireworks after dark, recalling the welcome the Guru received |
| Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor Sahib, Gwalior Fort | Marks the place of the Guru's imprisonment |
| Gurdwara Chola Sahib, Ludhiana district | Sikhs believe the 52-panel cloak is preserved here |
| Local gurdwaras everywhere | Kirtan, katha of the Guru's release, langar and diyas; some sangats hold a nagar kirtan |
| Sikh homes | Lamps and candles, sweets, visits to elders; no Lakshmi Puja |
In mixed families and in many Punjabi households, Sikh and Hindu practice overlap on this night, and plenty of homes light diyas for both reasons. Ask rather than assume.
What to write on Bandi Chhor Divas
Do
- Say "Happy Bandi Chhor Divas" to Sikh friends; "Happy Diwali" alone misses their reason for the day.
- Mention Guru Hargobind Sahib, the 52 kings or the lights at Harmandir Sahib.
- For a mixed Hindu–Sikh family, "Happy Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas" covers everyone.
Avoid
- Don't send Lakshmi or Ganesha images to a Sikh friend as a Bandi Chhor Divas card.
- Don't describe it as "the Sikh version of Diwali"; it has its own history.
- Don't assume every Sikh uses the same name or keeps the day the same way; practice varies between families.
Happy Bandi Chhor Divas. The Guru wouldn't walk out without the other 52. That's a good way to live. Wishing you and the family a bright night.
Bandi Chhor Divas diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan, Dadaji and Biji. Hope you get to see the lights at Darbar Sahib again this year.
Warm wishes on Bandi Chhor Divas to you and your family. Hope the evening at the gurdwara is a lovely one.
Happy Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas to all of you. Two reasons for the same lamps, and both good ones.
Send me a photo of Harmandir Sahib tonight. Bandi Chhor Divas mubarak; the whole city must be glowing.
Happy Bandi Chhor Divas. Lighting a diya here for Guru Hargobind Sahib and for everyone at home who can't be with us.
- Bandi Chhor
- Release of prisoners; the name is also translated as Day of Liberation.
- Miri-piri
- Temporal and spiritual authority, symbolised by Guru Hargobind's two swords.
- Chola
- A long robe or cloak; the Guru's had 52 panels or tassels.
- Darbar Sahib
- Another name for the Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple, in Amritsar.
- Nagar kirtan
- A procession singing hymns, led by the Guru Granth Sahib.
- Vadhaiyan
- Punjabi for congratulations; used for festival greetings.
The next Sikh gurpurab after Bandi Chhor Divas is Guru Nanak Gurpurab on the full moon of Kartik, about two weeks later. The Hindu festival days around it are on the Diwali page.
How to wish someone on Bandi Chhor Divas
A Bandi Chhor Divas wish is about freedom and standing up for others, since the Guru refused to leave prison alone. Name the day rather than folding it into "Happy Diwali", mention Guru Hargobind Sahib or the lights at Harmandir Sahib, and keep the tone warm but devotional. "Bandi Chhor Divas diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan" suits Punjabi-speaking friends and elders.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + recipient language.
When is Bandi Chhor Divas in 2026 and 2027?
Bandi Chhor Divas is set by the Sikh lunisolar (Bikrami) calendar, so it falls on a different date each year. In 2027 it falls 10 days earlier than in 2026.
- 2026
- 2027may vary by location
Frequently asked questions
Is Bandi Chhor Divas the same as Diwali?
Bandi Chhor Divas falls on the same night as Diwali but is a separate Sikh observance. It commemorates Guru Hargobind's release from Gwalior Fort and his return to Amritsar, while Hindus mark Lakshmi Puja and Rama's return on the same night.
Who were the 52 kings released with Guru Hargobind?
Sikh tradition says 52 Rajput hill kings were held at Gwalior Fort with Guru Hargobind. When Jahangir agreed to free the Guru, he refused to leave without them, and they walked out holding the 52 panels of his cloak.
When was Guru Hargobind released from Gwalior Fort?
The date is disputed. Some accounts give 1611 or 1612, Persian records suggest he was held at Gwalior until about 1619, and many popular accounts use 1619. Sikhs keep the day on Diwali night each year regardless of the historical year.
Why is Bandi Chhor Divas dated by the lunar calendar?
Although the name was written into the Nanakshahi calendar in 2003, Bandi Chhor Divas is still dated by the lunar Bikrami calendar, like Guru Nanak Gurpurab. That keeps it on the new moon of Kartik, the same night as Diwali.
How do you wish someone on Bandi Chhor Divas?
Say "Happy Bandi Chhor Divas", or in Punjabi, "Bandi Chhor Divas diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan". Mentioning Guru Hargobind Sahib or the lights at Harmandir Sahib shows you know what the Sikh observance is about.
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