With Bandi Chhor Divas coming up shortly, we have been busy dressing up the house for the festival. We are lighting our divas, remembering our past, our history, and the teachings of our Guru ji's.
While it is also Diwali, I do feel this inherent need to educate not only Sikhs, but others, that Sikhs don't celebrate Diwali - we celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas. This term was never used when I was kid - it was always taught in schools that Diwali was celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains - albeit for different reasons. But then, the only reason for Diwali that was taught was the return of King Ram. Nothing wrong with teaching kids about religions, but I think the teaching has to be factual and true.
How do you differentiate? How do you do that without "insulting" others? I think its simple if we just choose to respect each other - you do Diwali and i do Bandi Chhor Divas.
Here is a link to a Bandi Chhor Divas Banner I created. I printed it on cardstock, cut it out and then we embellished it with glitter glue!
Hope you all have a blessed Bandi Chhor Divas.
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