Happy Prakash Divas of Guru Nanak Dev Ji!

November 4th is the Prakash Divas (birthday) Guru Nanak Dev Ji! We will have programs at the Gurdwara Sahib everyday this week from 5 to 7 pm. Make sure to attend!

Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the founder of Sikhism and was born to Hindu parents Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta in 1469 in Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib in Pakistan). Although he was born April 15, the birth date is celebrated on the full moon in November. He had an older sister named Bibi Nanaki. His unique path became apparent at a young age when he learned at an unprecedented rate and impressed his teachers.

One morning in 1499, Guru Nanak Dev Ji bathed in the river and disappeared for three days. No one could find him, and people feared he had died. He resurfaced three days later, having spent those days with God Himself. His first words after he emerged were “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim”, meaning that everyone is the same according to God. Guru Ji was respected by all religions and travelled extensively spreading messages of honesty, equality between men and women, and speaking out against the caste system. It is thought he travelled over 28,000 km including to present-day Afghanistan, Turkey, Burma, Tibet, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Persia, and Arabia. Bhai Mardana, a muslim, accompanied him on his travels and played the rabab while Guru Nanak sang the hymns. 

Guru Nanak introduced the concepts of Naam Japo (remember God), Vand Shako (share what you earn), Kirat Karo (earn an honest living) everywhere he went. He made sure to communicate in simple language so everyone could understand, not just those who had a formal education. He was married to Mata Sulakhani and had two children, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Daas. He emphasized that you can still live a spiritual life at the same time as a family life. The following are some stories from his travels.

In the town of Saidpur on his travels Guru Ji stayed with Bhai Laalo, a low-caste man, rather than with the weathly Malik Bhago. Malik Bhago questioned Guru Ji on his choice and Guru Ji showed, by holding Lalo’s food in one hand and Bhago’s food in the other by squeezing them that blood poured from the food of Malik Bhago and milk from Lalo’s. This was to demonstrate that Malik Bhago did not earn his food honestly and rather exploited others, but Lalo worked hard.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji emphasized that we should not be stuck in rituals but rather be true to their religion. For example, he observed people throwing the water from the Ganges towards the sun to reach their ancestors and he started throwing it in the opposite direction, claiming that if their water reached the ancestors then his should reach his fields in Punjab. 

Guru Ji started the tradition of Langar, a free community kitchen where everyone was welcome to sit and eat next to each other as equals. This was extremely important given the emphasis on caste status at the time. This continues on in Gurdwaras (sikh temples) everywhere today. After his travels he built the village Kartarpur. 

When Guru Ji passed on from this world in 1539 it is said there was arguments between the Hindus and Muslims about whether the body should be cremated or buried but under the sheet, instead of a body there were only flowers, half of which were burned and half buried. He was succeeded by Guru Angad Dev Ji.

References

http://www.theworldofgurunanak.com/guru-nanak-dev-ji.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Guru_Nanak

http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/gurus/nanak1.html

http://www.sikhs.org/guru1.htm

http://www.ibtimes.com/guru-nanaks-birthday-2014-3-things-you-need-know-about-sikh-holiday-1720042
www.searchsikhism.com 

Sikhmusic.com
desicomments.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak
https://www.eventshigh.com/detail/delhi/2b528793c6229cf59c9b8969c98c1bbd-prakash-purab-guru-nanak-dev 

Book: Illustrated Life Stories of Guru Sahibs’ 

Becoming a Leader

I can't believe I'm writing a third post today! I guess my creative energy needed an outlet.

I caught up with an old friend I hadn’t seen in a few years. We quickly dived deep into conversation about our own personal reflections about growth. She talked about how she was saddened to see some of her friends who had fallen into the trap of doing what other people wanted instead of pursuing their dreams and had ended up feeling trapped. It made me reflect on the importance of knowing who you are and having a path and purpose for yourself, of being a leader. It’s that moment that you know that you don’t have to follow other people when they chase after maya because you are following a different path. She said it's important to “think for yourself.”

In his book Karam Philosophy and the Aim of Human Life, Giani Sant Singh Maskeen Ji wrote about how the mind is won by moulding it using the Guru (1). He said that many of us get so caught up in our desires: “Man is living at the level of desires and the desires have got one rule. While one desire gets fulfilled, it gives rise to ten more desires while it is being fulfilled. In this way the desire would go on increasing and there would be an abundance of desires” (1). Yet, as we talked about in our previous post, only those desires were going to get fulfilled that were as per Hukam. Maskeen Ji uses this to explain the situation of deras (places where they have fake sants and babas who exploit people while pretending to help them). He writes, “Deras of some saints are going on, because out of hundred presons who had gone there, desires of sixty persons was to be ordinarily fulfilled and therefore they say that their desire has been fulfilled by the grace of Sant ji. These sixty people then bring at least sixty other persons to the dera” (1). If someone is promising you that your work will be done, of course a percentage of them will have a positive outcome because that was God’s will that they were going to have that happen anyways in their life. Those will become devoted followers of that person.

Dr. Harshinder Kaur also spoke about the topic of why women are so drawn to these deras and fake sants/babas (2). I personally was perplexed why people would go to these deras and I came to understand through her talk. It was extremely useful for all of us, regardless of which country we live in, and even for those of us who believe strongly in Sikhi and don’t believe in these babas. I watched it twice because she talks about the female psyche, and she talks about the general societal and cultural problems that affect us. What she said applies even outside the situation of deras. She explained that it is fear that drives us towards something. We want support and someone to save us from that fear (2). For example, she explained, that people see doctors as “God” because they were scared to die and the doctor saved them (2). People are looking for that person who is going to be there no matter what, who treats them well, and wherever they find relief from that fear, they will follow (2). She used examples to explain the types of conditions of the women who became followers of these sants. For example, for a woman who is physically assaulted by her husband, going to the dera is a five day break from that life (2). When a husband doesn’t recognize that his wife needs time to fulfill her own needs- for friendships, for her health and wellbeing, then a dera is can be a place for her to go and sit with friends and share some of her life experiences with other people (2). Unfortunately this creates the opportune situation for these fake “sants” and “babas” to exploit and abuse women there. Dr. Harshinder Kaur said let us look to ourselves to see what we can do to help the females in our lives to make their living conditions better so they will not think to go to fake babas and fall into superstitions (2). She gave the example that a wife should be able to think that she has the full support at home and that she doesn't need to go to someone else in a dera to look for that support and validation. Just like Maskeen Ji, Dr. Harshinder Kaur encouraged us all to look within ourselves and change our own mindsets so that we can live in sehaj (2). Maskeen Ji says that the mind must be studied, “Read the thoughts that are going on inside. Study your reminiscences. What is there in these? Guru Nanak Dev Ji says that man reads the books but does not study his mind" (1). This can definitely be hard at times. I remember some kathas I’ve heard and books I’ve read have really shown a harsh truth, but when you reflect on it and look inside yourself it really allows you to grow. 

Dr. Harshinder Kaur emphasized the importance of believing in oneself, because for every disease there is an aspect of healing related to the mind. Many people go to deras because they look and see- many people are getting better here (just due to sheer numbers) and I must too, so they look to have faith in a fake baba (2). She said if we believe in ourselves and look back at all the hard times that we have successfully made it through, we can make it through our struggle (2). I find it helps if I remind myself Waheguru has determined there is a necessity to this experience and I will grow stronger from it. She talked about scientific studies that showed the effect of believing you can do something versus having doubt (2). We talked a lot about doubt in my past posts, and about the power of having faith in Waheguru. Bhai Dalbir Singh Ji Tarmala from Gurdwara Prabh Milne Ka Chao explains that kaal makes more efforts towards someone who tries to win this game than someone who doesn’t try (3). If you don’t try to win, kaal has won anyways but if we try, kaal will try to create problems that pull us away from simran, and test us. We have to believe in this path and say everyday “I’m not going to fall, I’m going to win” (3). So as my friend pointed out, rather than thinking using other people’s mat (understanding) we should think for ourselves. I will go one step further and say even rather than using our own mat (man-mat), let us use Gurmat which will never fail us or guide us in the wrong direction. Then we can fully awaken the mind. We need to have faith in the One and only, as the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji starts, “Ik Onkaar” who fulfills desires according to Hukam, not due to superstitions. 

Bhul chuk maaf karni. I would encourage all of you to check out Dr. Harshinder Kaur’s talk with your families even though it’s about an hour long. She explains way more beautifully than I could just paraphrasing it in English. 

References

1 Karam Philosophy and the Aim of Human Life by Giani Sant Singh Ji Maskeen

2 Dr. Harshinder Kaur’s Talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYjmSLq0NJI

3 Bhai Dalbir Singh Tarmala’s talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KeRTGsnq2E

Saka Panja Sahib

Events from Sikh history this week included: Gurgaddi Divas Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Oct 21), Saka Panja Sahib (Oct 30), Jyoti Jot Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Oct 25). Coming up is the Prakash Divas of Guru Nanak Dev Ji next week and I will be posting about that soon.

Background on Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal: In 1521 Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana arrived in Hasan Abdal and were doing kirtan. This created jealousy in Wali Khandari, who was used to having this attention from the locals. He had the only water supply in the area, and cut off the locals from being able to use it so they would stop following Guru Ji once they realized Guru Ji had no water. Guru Ji sent Bhai Mardana to ask Wali Khandari for water for the villagers. He went three times. Wali Qandhari rudely refused, and asked him to ask his Master (Guru Nanak). Guru Ji asked everyone to remember God. He asked the villagers to push away an embedded rock and a fountain of water sprang from it. Wali Qandhari’s fountain dried up, and he he became angry. He threw a giant rock from the mountain towards Guru Ji from the top of a hill. Guru Ji stopped the rock with his hand, leaving the imprint. Seeing this, Wali became a follower of the Guru. This rock still stands and Gurudwara Panja Sahib has been built there (see picture to the right). Panj means five, panja meaning outstretched palm.

Now moving forward in time to the 1900s. We previously learned about Saka Nankana Sahib and the freeing of Nankana Sahib from mahant Naryan Daas had taken over the Gurdwara and was doing bad deeds. After this, in 1922, Mahant Sundar Das was doing very bad things, and the Sikhs told him to stop his actions. As a result, he took amrit but he did not change his thinking. He wanted revenge against the Sikhs. A group of five Singhs was arrested for cutting Acacia wood for langar from land attached to Guru Ka Bagh. They were all sentenced with lengthy jail time for stealing from the mahant. The extreme punishment caused agitation amongst the Sikhs. The police started beating and torturing Sikhs, arresting 5 Singhs daily until the jails were filled, and there was plans to move the Sikhs to a fort in Hasan Abdul using a train. 

Seeing the conditions of the Sikhs the local sangat wanted to provide them with langar. They asked the trainmaster to stop for langar, but he refused. The sangat decided to stop the train themselves. Bhai Karam Singh is reported to have said “Baba Nanak had stopped a mountain with one hand. Cannot his Sikhs stop a train?” The 300 members of sangat were doing Naam Japna and lied on the railway tracks. The train was approaching, and in front were lying Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Partap Singh. The driver refused to stop. The train rode over Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Partap Singh, then stopped. Bhai Partap Singh encouraged the sangat to serve the langar before tending to their injuries. Both became shaheeds. Six others had injuries. Subsequently, the train driver was arrested and asked why he had stopped. His statement was “I had been given orders to not stop the train at any cost. As per the orders, I did not stop the train and was moving at full speed. When the train hit Shaheed Partap Singh I felt as if it had hit a huge mountain. I fell down and my hand got lifted from the speeder and the train stopped. After investigating the engine, it had been found that the brake had not been applied. I felt that some unseen hidden power (Vaheguru) stopped the train” (account from Bibi Harnaam Kaur, wife of Shaheed Partaap Singh http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Saaka_Punja_Sahib,_True_Story ). May we all reflect on these amazing parts of our history. These Singhs made a big sacrifice to feed their fellow Sikhs langar and Waheguru Himself stopped that train so that the Sikhs could do it. 

References

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Panja_Sahib

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/File:Panjas.jpg

http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/events/panja.html

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Saka_Panja_Sahib

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Saaka_Punja_Sahib,_True_Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7z-qpKGtwY&t=827s

Celebrating the Gurgaddi Divas of Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Happy Gurpurb! This weekend's Akhand Paath will be held to celebrate the Gurgaddi Divas of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. This is the date when Guru Gobind Singh Ji passed on the Guruship to Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Here is an excerpt about the history of the Gurgaddi Divas from Manvir Singh's blog

"Kartarpur Bir

During Guru Gobind Singh Sahib jee's Guru-ship, Baba Deep Singh along with 24 other Singhs went to Dheer Mal (the grandson of the Sixth Guru) to ask him to return the Kartarpur Bir (the original Aad Granth Sahib jee that Guru Arjan Sahib jee compiled) that he had forcibly taken during the time of Guru Hargobind Sahib jee. Dheer Mal refused and replied, 'If your Guru is the same 'Roop' (form) as the first and fifth Guru Sahibs, then why doesn't he fashion Gurbaani from memory?'

Damdami Bir

Guru Gobind Singh Sahib jee stayed Talwandi Sabo (known as Sri Damdama Sahib today) for 9 months and 9 days in 1706 and dictated the entire Aad Granth Sahib jeewith the addition of the Ninth Nanak, Guru Teg Bahadar Sahib jee's revealed Bani (sacred hymns), whilst Bhai Mani Singh jee undertook the task of scribing under Guru Sahib's supervision. Undoubtedly, Guru Sahib got rid of certain unauthorised writings which had crept into some pirated copies and gave the Granth (Scripture) it's final form. As this Bir (Volume) was compiled by Guru Sahib at Sri Damdama Sahib, in Southern Panjab, this final form of the Granth Sahib jee became known as the 'Damdami Bir'.

Resting Guru-ship in the Guru Granth-Guru Panth
This Bir was then taken to Sri Hazoor Sahib, NandeR, in 1708 by Guru Gobind Singh jee. In an old text called 'Nanak Chandr Udai Mahaa-kavyan' (ਨਾਨਕ ਚੰਦ੍ਰ ਉਦੈ ਮਹਾਕਵਯੰ) written by Pandit Raaj Sharma, it says that Sikhs asked Guru Gobind Singh Sahib jee Maharaaj before he physically left his body, 'Who is Guru now? To whom should we bow? Whom should we have Darshan of and of whom should we contemplate?' Guru Gobind Singh Jee Mahaaraaj replied that 'the Granth is the Guru. Do it's Darshan. Bow your head before it and do contemplation of it to illuminate the path.'

'Gurū Kīān Sākhīān' describes Guru Gobind Singh Sahib jee conferring Guru-ship to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee:

'Guru Jee asked Daya Singh, "Bhai Sikha, go and fetch Sri Granth Jee, we have to endow Guruship." On getting the command, Bhai Daya Singh brought Sri Granth Jee and auspiciously opened and displayed it. One Sikh prepared the parshaad and placed it on a stool nearby. After the supplication, Satguru Jee prepared to pass on Guruship. Guru Sahib took five paise, the coins and a coconut in his hand. Sat on the bedstead and asked Daya Singh, 'Place them in front of Sri Granth Jee' and expounded:
'With the directive of the Almighty, initiated is the Panth,
All the Sikhs are decreed to acknowledge Granth as Guru,
Believing in Khalsa, epitomises the Guru as corporeal.
Sikhs desirous to achieve me, (may) search in them.'
(p. 220-221)

Guru Sahib's instruction was:

ਆਤਮਾ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਵਿਚ 
ਸਰੀਰ ਪੰਤ ਵਿਚ 
ਪਰਚਾ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਦਾ
ਦੀਦਾਰ ਖਾਲਸੇ ਦਾ
ਓਟ ਅਕਾਲ ਕੀ

'The Spirit is in the Guru Granth,
The body in the (Khalsa) Panth,
Understand the Shabad,
Seek the glorious sight of the Khalsa,
Take support from the Immortal (God).'"

Additionally there is a nice resource on youtube for anyone looking to learn how to read the Guru Granth Sahib Ji with translations more slowly than other videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqIkMmQ4jdc

References
http://manvirsingh.blogspot.ca/2007/10/gurgaddi-diwas-of-sri-guru-granth-sahib.html 
http://www.dgreetings.com/gurpurab/about-gurupurab.html 

Anxiety of the Unknown

“As is the Hukam of Your Command, so do things happen. Wherever You keep me, there I go and stand.” (Ang 523 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)

Times of uncertainty can sometimes even be more challenging than bad news. In a bad news scenario, one deals with the emotions and slowly moves through them. When you don’t know what’s next, it makes it challenging because your life is emotionally on hold. You can't deal with the emotions because you don't know what to feel- happy because things went one way, or sad because things went the other way. As a person that is used to making plans, I find this type of pause in life to be a huge test of my patience. There’s always a time in life when everything that was in your control has been completed and now you wait. The easiest example that most people probably relate to is waiting to hear back about a job opportunity or university acceptance, etc. This also happens in other domains of life, sometimes related to our health, finances, housing, or relationships, etc.  Waiting to see what happens can take its own toll on our mental health if we don’t deal with it properly.

It is during these times it is important to ground ourselves spiritually. Perhaps trusting Waheguru was more difficult than you’ve ever realized. The first step is having faith so you aren’t angry if things don’t go your way. Giani Sant Singh Maskeen Ji gave this example in his katha. There is a small child trying to reach for the fire on the stove. His mother stops him, and to that child, his mother feels like his enemy because she is stopping him from catching the fire. Since he desires to touch the fire, she is getting in the way of his desire. When a person grows up, they understand that their mother did right and was protecting them. Similarly, those who do Naam Japna understand that Waheguru is our parent, and when our desire is not fulfilled there is benefit for me in that as well. We are being saved from dangers that we do not see. Instead many people get angry that our wish is not fulfilled, similar to the mindset of the young child who wants to put his hand in the fire. Maskeen Ji continues and tells us if there is dukh in life, then it was needed, if there is sukh in life, then it was needed as well. Waheguru is the ultimate parent and knows what we need when we need it. Perhaps there is dukh at this time because you need to wake up from the illusion and make some changes in your life.

“Whatever my Friend does, I accept” (Ang 187)

I have written about this topic in the past- about not having your ardas answered, about not having life go your way. Once you learn how to move through that, your faith deepens and you no longer get angry anymore. I find that the harder thing is not even being at that stage yet and sitting in the realm of the unknown. It creates doubts that challenge the trust in Hukam. Just a sliver of doubt can create thousands of anxieties for anyone, because doubt is maya. Maya takes us away from God, away from peace. One of my friends wisely said that it is during these moments of uncertainty, that we tend to start mentally creating an agenda of what we want and try guiding God to our direction. In fact, we are creating more doubt in our minds and fighting against the natural flow of what God is doing. Instead we wear ourselves out trying to fight with our minds. If life is moving slowly, there is a reason for that also. It is our mistake to try to force a rush.

I have realized now that the opposite of carefree is that one is doubtful in their trust of Waheguru’s Hukam. Guru Ji tells us “Under Guru’s Instructions, hold your mind steady; O my soul, do not let it wander anywhere.” I find that once you get into a cycle of anxiety and doubt it becomes harder and harder to do the paath and naam simran that is the necessary medicine to make it go away, and the less paath and naam simran, the more the feelings grow. Therefore it’s nice to have a solid foundation for spirituality in the first place so that when those times of uncertainty and challenges come in life, we have at least a routine established. Then the mind remains steady. If you are already stuck in the anxiety of the unknown, it’s important to remember what Guru Ji has taught us. Listening to kathas and reading books gives us real life examples of when other people have had their lives changed through Gurbani; it gives us inspiration on how to live our spiritual life. Doing sewa and hard work allows us to meet other sangat to develop support, allows us to feel good and lets us give back. Doing kirtan and simran lets us connect directly to Waheguru and put peace in our minds. When we combine these actions, we can move our way from anxiety to acceptance of Waheguru's Hukam and we can at least move forward spiritually while we wait to see what's next in life. 

P.S. completely changing topics, I'm super excited that our 11 other English educational plaques for our Gurdwara Sahib have arrived! They will hopefully be up in the langar hall at the end of the week. 

References (short Maskeen Ji katha clips):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ajAdrPrORc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdY99AMe_Hw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKMGWHuTaKo&t=363s

Chardi Kala

Chardi kala means being in high spirits. Interestingly I think some people think of it as simply being positive- a smile that hides the pain inside. I have never liked the concept of simply masking and covering up emotions rather than dealing with that because it proves damaging in itself. Perhaps, like me, many other people thought chardi kala is about turning negatives into positives. You have something bad happen and you see the good in it, and you work towards learning from it. I think this is definitely a step up than ignoring emotions and pretending they are fine, but what I learned now is that chardi kala is part of a spiritual avastha and is not just turning negative into positives. I saw a great video on Sikhnet that explains this https://www.sikhnet.com/news/chardi-kala-whats I would encourage each of you to watch the video.

To be in real chardi kala, one must have Naam and be really connected to God. When there is doubt, immediately we aren’t in chardi kala. When we look at the martyrs in our history we see that they were in chardi kala. As he explained in the video, their mind’s death had already come and they had merged with God, so they no longer feared anything and were able to make great sacrifices. Chardi kala is more than optimism, because in optimism we simply “think” through the negative thoughts and either find a spin on the situation or focus on positive thoughts instead. Chardi kala isn’t achieved by thinking because it is beyond maya (thoughts). We see optimistic people get hit by a series of bad events and finally 'the straw that breaks the camel’s back hits,' and they lose faith. This is normal for us, this is what we understand. As manmukhs we reach our breaking point, we have doubts, we get depressed when life throws its worst at us. The spiritual state of chardi kala is beyond that- Guru Gobind Singh Ji lost his parents and four children, one thing after another and did not waver in his faith, did not break under that pressure. Gyani Sant Singh Ji Maskeen writes in his book Panch Parvaan that interpersonal conflicts happen because our relationships are based solely on similar thoughts, emotions and ideas, but the relationship of love with God is the one that gives us anand and unites us: “When love is limited and narrow, it is attachment but when this attachment expands and becomes unlimited it turns into love.” We need to cultivate that relationship with Waheguru. When we overcome ego, and the 5- kaam, krodh, lob, moh, hankaar, and replace our doubt with faith and trust in God, then chardi kala can take over the mind.

Through chardi kala emerges a resilience that most of us cannot fathom because we have not experienced it. If the practical work is not done, and we simply accumulate the knowledge, we can’t reach that state. It’s the work of sewa, simran, understanding Gurbani, sitting with sangat- the combination of all things that we are taught in Sikhi that gets us there. Gyani Sant Singh Ji Maskeen writes “If we connect ourselves with our conscious mind to anyone or anything, we will adopt his or her qualities also. By remembering insignificant trivial and small things, we will also become like that. If we are remembering the fake, one day we will also become fake. But on the contrary if we remember the Truth, we will adopt truthful qualities…If you have the power of memory, remember God Almighty, the Truth for one day you yourself will become your own master. But if you remember the insignificant, you will yourself become the slave" (Panch Parvaan English translated). We do not have to be slaves to situation, to others, to the 5 in the mind. Let us all strive for the spiritual state of chardi kala.

References

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Chardi_Kala

http://www.sikhanswers.com/principles-and-concepts/what-does-chardi-kalaa-mean/

Panch Parvaan by Giani Sant Singh Ji Maskeen

https://www.sikhnet.com/news/chardi-kala-whats

Happy Bandi Chhor Divas! (Diwali)

It’s Bandi Chhor Divas on Thursday, Oct 19th and we will be celebrating with morning and evening divans at the Gurdwara Sahib that day. 
Going back in history, let's see why we celebrate Bandi Chorr Divas.

Chandu Shah was the governor of Lahore and a wealthy banker. His family priest suggested Guru Arjan Dev’s son Hargobind would be a good match for his daughter. Believing in the caste system, and that his family was more upper class than Guru Ji, Chandu Shah refused and made disparaging comments about Guru Arjand Dev Ji. Over time he changed his mind and wanted his daughter to marry Hargobind, however Guru Ji refused knowing that this was a false show. Chandu Shah had shown his real colors earlier from his comments. Chandu Shah was enraged and went on to cause the torture of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. 

Guru Hargobind Ji, our 6^th Guru, then built the Sri Akal Takht Sahib and strengthened the army of Sikhs. In 1619, Murtaja Khan, Nawab of Lahore, noticed this, and lied to emperor Jahangir that Guru Ji was going to seek revenge for the torture and execution of his father (Guru Arjan Dev Ji). Wazir Khan was sent to arrest Guru Ji, however he respected Guru Ji and instead he asked Guru Ji to accompany him to Delhi. In Delhi, Jahangir changed his mind upon meeting the Guru and in fact started to like him. Guru Ji saved Jahangir's life from a lion and had no revenge or hatred in his mind.

When Jahangir fell ill, Chandu Shah wanted to find a way to imprison Guru Hargobind Ji as well. He told an astrologer to tell Jahangir that a holy man needed to pray for him at the Gwalior Fort (prison) in order for him to get better. Chandu Shah recommended this be Guru Hargobind Ji. Guru Ji prayed in the prison, and worked to have the conditions of the jail improved for the prisoners. Hari Daas, who was in charge of the prison was actually a follower of the Guru himself, and helped as much as he could including foiling Chandu Shah’s plan to poison Guru ji.  Jahangir’s health improved but the Guru Ji was kept prisoner. His followers, led by Baba Buddha Ji, became concerned and visited Guru Ji. Guru Ji told them not to worry. Sufi Saint Mian Mir then convinced Jahangir to release Guru Ji. Guru Ji thought of the other prisoners, Hindu Princes who had only been imprisoned due to political reasons and were suffering for years in the poor conditions of the jail. He said he would leave the jail if the other prisoners would be released. Jahangir did not like this idea, but agreed that only those prisoners who could hold the cloak of the Guru could be released.  Guru Ji designed a long cloak with 52 tails for each prisoner to hold, and they were all released. Gurdwara Bandi Chorr Sahib has been created at the site of the Gwalior fort. So Bandi Chhor Divas, translated as “prisoner release day” is the day that Guru Hargobind Sahib and the 52 princes were freed from the prison. When Guru Ji safely traveled home to Amritsar, Diwali was being celebrated by the Hindus, so we celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas at Diwali each year.

Happy Bandi Chhor Divas everyone! 

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Bandi_Chhorh_Divas
http://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/bandi-chhor-divas-celebrating-the-liberation-of-the-sixth-sikh-guru-guru-hargobind

picture from http://sikhguru.org.uk/sikhsim/festivalsceremonies/bandi-chhor-divas/