Indo-Canadians – Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library

Happy Bandi Chhor Divas

Happy Bandi Chhor Divas and Happy Diwali

_{Source: UrbanUrban CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons}

On Bandi Chhor Diva, Sikhs celebrate Guru Hargobind, the 6th Guru, who was released from prison, along with many other prisoners, in 1619. The name Bandi Chhor Divas means “Liberation of Prisoners Day.” Sikhs in Canada, India and around the world will celebrate this holy day, which coincides with the 5 day Indian festival known as Diwali.

From the BBC:

According to tradition, Guru Hargobind was released from prison in Gwalior and reached Amritsar on Divali. He would only agree to leave prison if 52 Hindu princes who were in prison with him could also go free. The Emperor Jahangir, said that those who clung to the Guru’s coat would be able to go free. This was meant to limit the number of prisoners who could be released. However, Guru Hargobind had a coat made with 52 tassels attached to it so that all of the princes could leave prison with him.

The story reminds Sikhs of freedom and human rights and this is what they celebrate on Bandi Chhor Divas.
Source: BBC

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Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali and Bandi Chor Divas

‘Tuhanu Diwali diyan boht both vadhaiyan’

Keval Tank, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Diwali is celebrated by millions of people in India, Canada and around the world. Hundreds of millions of Hindus celebrate “the Festival of Lights.” Millions of Sikhs, and people of other faiths, also celebrate Diwali.

For Sikhs the festival of Diwali has added significance as it generally coincides with a Sikh celebration known as Bandi Chhor Divas. In 2025 this takes place on October 21

Many people will celebrate a five day festival from October 18 to 22, with the many public celebrations of Diwali in Canada on Saturday, October 18 and Monday October 20. However, it may be celebrated at different times, and in different ways, by various groups in India, South Asia, and in the Indian diaspora.

Diwali may also be rendered as Deepavali or Divali.

For more information on Diwali, check out:

Happy Vaisakhi

Celebrate Vaisakhi!

Tomorrow at our school we celebrate Vaisakhi. Be sure to join in on the festivities at lunch and throughout the day. The official date for Vaisakhi in 2025 is April 14.

Vaisakhi is a major festival on the Sikh calendar, and one of the most important days of the year. Sikhs in Canada, India, and around the world will celebrate the founding of the Khalsa, or the worldwide body of Sikhs, as established by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Sometimes Vaisakhi is referred to as Khalsa Day.

_{source: KaurArt.com, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons}

Vaisakhi, or Baisakhi, was traditionally a spring harvest festival, and for some, a New Year’s Day. All across northern India, particularly in the Punjab, many different groups will celebrate Vaisakhi for these various reasons, including Hindus and other non-Sikhs. Vaisakhi is traditionally observed on April 13 or 14, but may be celebrated on different days in different places. Vancouver will hold its Vaisakhi Parade on April 12, while Surrey will hold its parade, one of the largest in the world, on April 19.

The overwhelming majority of Indo-Canadians (people of South Asian origin) in our school and in our neighbourhoods are Sikhs. As such, Vaisakhi is a major holiday here in Surrey and other cities in British Columbia with concentrated populations of Sikhs, such as Vancouver and Abbotsford.

Join with us in your School Library as we celebrate Sikh Heritage Month by learning more about Vaisakhi and other aspects of Sikh culture and history.

Find out more:

Guru Gobind Singh

On January 6, 2025, Sikhs in Canada and around the world celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, a chance to observe and celebrate the birth of Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru was born in 1666 in Patna, India. He was the 10th and last of the (human) Gurus of Sikhism. He established the Khalsa, the organization of men and women baptized into the Sikh faith. He also established the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhism, as the final Guru for the Sikh people.

For more on Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikh faith, check out:

Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali and Bandi Chor Divas

‘Tuhanu Diwali diyan boht both vadhaiyan’

Diwali is celebrated by millions of people in India, Canada and around the world. Hundreds of millions of Hindus celebrate “the Festival of Lights.” Millions of Sikhs, and eople of other faiths, ialso celebrate Diwali.

For Sikhs the festival has added significance as it generally coincides with a Sikh celebration known as Bandi Chhor Divas. In 2024 this takes place on November 1.

Many people will celebrate a five day festival from October 31 to November 5, with the many public celebrations of Diwali in Canada on Saturday, November 2 . However, it may be celebrated at different times, and in different ways, by various groups in India, South Asia, and in the Indian diaspora.

Diwali may also be rendered as Deepavali or Divali.

For more information on Diwali, check out:

Happy Vaisakhi

Vaisakhi

April 13 is Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi is a major festival on the Sikh calendar, and one of the most important days of the year. Sikhs in Canada, India, and around the world will celebrate the founding of the Khalsa, or the worldwide body of Sikhs, as established by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Sometimes Vaisakhi is referred to as Khalsa Day.

Vaisakhi, or Baisakhi, was traditionally a spring harvest festival, and for some, a New Year’s Day. All across northern India, particularly in the Punjab, many different groups will celebrate Vaisakhi for these various reasons, including Hindus and other non-Sikhs. Vaisakhi is traditionally observed on April 13 or 14, but may be celebrated on different days in different places. Vancouver will hold its Vaisakhi Parade on April 13, while Surrey will hold its parade, one of the largest in the world, on April 20.

Join with us in your School Library as we celebrate Sikh Heritage Month by learning more about Vaisakhi and other aspects of Sikh culture and history.

Find out more:

Sikh Heritage Month

April is Sikh Heritage Month in Canada

Visit us this month in the School Library as we celebrate Sikh Heritage Month. Find out more about Sikhs, Sikhism and the history of the Sikh people in Canada. Visit us in person to check out our display of books and DVDs, and visit us online to learn more about Sikh Heritage Month.

Find out more:

Guru Gobind Singh

On January 17, 2024, Sikhs in Canada and around the world celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, a chance to observe and celebrate the birth of Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru was born in 1666 in Patna, India. He was the 10th and last of the (human) Gurus of Sikhism. He established the Khalsa, the organization of men and women baptized into the Sikh faith. He also established the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhism, as the final Guru for the Sikh people.

For more on Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikh faith, check out:

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab

The founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469 in the north-west of India, (what is now Pakistan.) He would go on to become the first of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. In 2023 the celebration of the birth of Guru Nanak is November 27. The day is also referred to as Guru Nanak’s Prakash Utsav and Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Most Canadians of Indian heritage who live in Canada are Sikhs, including many students at Lord Tweedsmuir, and in communities throughout Surrey and Greater Vancouver. If you are not Sikh, learn more about Guru Nanak, Sikhism, and the Sikh community. What a great way to better understand your friends, neighbours and fellow Canadians.

Find out more:

Sikh Wiki

Sikh Museum

Canadian Sikh Heritage

Sikh Net

BBC

The Guibord Center

Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali and Bandi Chor Divas

‘Tuhanu Diwali diyan boht both vadhaiyan’

Diwali is celebrated by millions of people in India, Canada and around the world. Hundreds of millions of Hindus celebrate “the Festival of Lights.” People of other faiths, including Sikhism, also celebrate.

For Sikhs the festival has added significance as it generally coincides with a Sikh celebration known as Bandi Chhor Divas. In 2023 this takes place on November 12.

Many people will celebrate a five day festival from November 10 to 14 in 2023, with the main celebration of Diwali on November 12 . However, it may be celebrated at different times, and in different ways, by various groups in India, South Asia, and in the Indian diaspora.

Diwali may also be rendered as Deepavali or Divali.

For more information on Diwali, check out: