SSC
Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, the release of Guru Hargobind from Gwalior Fort, on the same day as:
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Answer: Option B — Diwali
Detailed Solution
Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, meaning "the Day of Liberation" or "the Day of Release of Prisoners", on the same day as Diwali, the new moon (Amavasya) of the month of Kartika. It commemorates the release of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, from the Gwalior Fort, where he had been imprisoned by the Mughal emperor Jahangir.
According to Sikh tradition, Guru Hargobind was imprisoned in the Gwalior Fort, where many princes and kings were also held as prisoners. When Jahangir decided to release the Guru, Guru Hargobind refused to leave unless the 52 kings imprisoned with him were also freed. Jahangir agreed that any king who could hold on to the Guru's cloak as he left the fort could go free. The Guru had a special cloak made with 52 strings (or tassels), so that each king could hold one, and all 52 kings were released with him. Guru Hargobind is therefore remembered as the "Bandi Chhor" (the liberator of prisoners). When he returned to Amritsar, around the time of Diwali, the people lit lamps to welcome him. The release is usually dated to around 1619.
On Bandi Chhor Divas, the Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib) in Amritsar and gurdwaras around the world are beautifully lit with lamps, candles and electric lights, and there are fireworks displays. Sikhs visit gurdwaras to pray, listen to kirtan and share langar. The illumination of the Golden Temple on this day is world famous, and there is a popular saying in Punjabi: "Dal roti ghar di, Diwali Amritsar di" ("Simple food at home, but Diwali at Amritsar"). The Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor Sahib stands at the Gwalior Fort in memory of the Guru's imprisonment.
Guru Hargobind is also known for introducing the tradition of wearing two swords, Miri (temporal power) and Piri (spiritual power), and for building the Akal Takht in Amritsar.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Holi: Sikhs celebrate Hola Mohalla on the day after Holi.
- ✗Baisakhi: Sikhs celebrate the founding of the Khalsa (1699) on Baisakhi.
- ✗Lohri: is a Punjabi winter bonfire festival.
Quick tip
Remember: Bandi Chhor Divas = Diwali, Guru Hargobind, the Gwalior Fort, the 52 kings and the illumination of the Golden Temple.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.