Sikh festival · Sunday 8 November 2026
Bandi Chhor Divas, with the family far away in it too.
Bandi Chhor Divas remembers the release of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, the sixth Sikh Guru, from Gwalior fort, and of the princes freed with him. Here is what the day is, when it falls in 2026, and how a family in several countries can keep it together.
The short answer
Bandi Chhor Divas is the Sikh festival of release. In 2026 it falls on Sunday 8 November 2026, by the SikhNet Gurpurab calendar, which follows the SGPC calendar. Families go to the gurdwara for kirtan and langar, light lamps and share a meal. Kunbaa gives a family spread across countries one plan for the day: who hosts, who brings what, when the call is, and one album for the photos.*
Date from the SikhNet Gurpurab calendar, as per the SGPC calendar, checked 1 October 2026. Your gurdwara's calendar decides.
When is Bandi Chhor Divas in 2026?
- India, the US and Canada, Australia and New Zealand
- Sunday 8 November 2026
This follows the SikhNet Gurpurab calendar, as per the SGPC calendar, checked 1 October 2026. Your gurdwara's calendar decides, and it can differ by region.
What Bandi Chhor Divas remembers
Bandi means prisoner, chhor means to free, and divas means day. The festival remembers Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, the sixth Sikh Guru, who was held in Gwalior fort and was released. Sikh tradition tells that he would not leave without the princes held there, and that they were freed with him.
When he came back to Amritsar, the people welcomed him with lamps. Gurdwaras, and Harmandir Sahib above all, are lit on the day, and Sikh families light lamps and candles at home.
In 2026 it falls on the same day as Diwali. It has its own story and its own meaning for Sikh families.
How families keep the day
Every family keeps it in its own way. Many do some of this:
- go to the gurdwara for kirtan, the singing of hymns, and for ardas, the prayer
- eat langar, the free meal every gurdwara serves, and receive karah prashad
- light lamps and candles at the gurdwara and at home
- share a meal and sweets with the family
- call or visit the relatives who live far away
Keeping Bandi Chhor Divas together across countries
A family that fills one gurdwara most of the year can be in three countries on the day. Kunbaa gives it one place for the plan, on kunbaa.com.
Start the plan
Start an event and pick Diwali for its starter checklist: the host, the meal, lamps, the call with family far away and everyone's photos. Name it Bandi Chhor Divas and pick the day your gurdwara keeps. Reword or remove any task that does not fit: the starter tasks use Diwali's words, such as puja time. It is your family's plan.
Share out the food
Add the dishes for the family meal and let each person tick the one they are bringing, so the table is planned before the day.
Choose a time for the call
The checklist has a task for the call with family far away, so one person owns it. An evening in Toronto is already the next day in Mumbai and in Sydney, so pick the time that suits the most people.
Put the photos in one album
On the day, everyone adds their photos to the event's album, from every home. Only the relatives you invite can open it.
Planning the call? How to plan Diwali with family in three time zones shows how.
A card with your family's name
Kunbaa's card maker makes a Diwali card with your family's name, free, with nothing to sign up for. Its Diyas and rangoli style has no deity art. The card says Diwali, not Bandi Chhor Divas, and some of its lines name Lakshmi, so read the line before you send it. Send it if that suits your family.
Make a Diwali cardMore from the Diwali season
- Diwali
Plan Diwali with family in other cities and countries: who hosts, the puja time, who brings what, and one album for everyone's photos.
- Diwali 2026 dates
Navratri to Bhai Dooj in order, with the date for India, the US and Canada, and Australia and New Zealand, and why each day matters.
- Jain Diwali (Mahavir Nirvan)
The day Jain families remember Bhagwan Mahavir's nirvana, on 8 or 9 November 2026 by the sources we checked: what to check with your community and how to keep it together.
- Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas)
The first day of the Gujarati year, on 9 or 10 November 2026 depending on where you live: Saal Mubarak, Annakut, and keeping the day with family abroad.
- Kali Puja
The Bengali night of Kali Puja, kept on the new-moon night of the Diwali season: what it is, how families keep it, and how to share it across time zones.
Some families do not keep this season, for example in the first year after a loss. Nothing here asks you to.
Frequently asked questions
More questions? Read the full FAQ or the help centre.
When is Bandi Chhor Divas in 2026?
Sunday 8 November 2026, by the SikhNet Gurpurab calendar, which follows the SGPC calendar (checked 1 October 2026). Your gurdwara's calendar decides, and it can differ by region.
What does Bandi Chhor Divas mean?
Bandi means prisoner, chhor means to free, and divas means day: the day of the release of the prisoners. It remembers the release of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, the sixth Sikh Guru, from Gwalior fort, and of the princes freed with him.
Is Bandi Chhor Divas the same as Diwali?
They are different festivals that share a day in 2026. Bandi Chhor Divas is the Sikh festival of release. The stories behind Diwali belong to the Hindu, Jain and other traditions that keep it. How your family marks the day is yours to say. See the Diwali 2026 dates.
How can we plan Bandi Chhor Divas with relatives in other countries?
Put the plan where everyone can see it: who hosts, who brings what, and a time for the call that suits the most people. On Kunbaa you start an event, pick Diwali for its starter checklist, rename it and pick the day your gurdwara keeps. On the day, everyone adds their photos to one album.
Does Kunbaa have a Bandi Chhor Divas template?
Not a separate one. The starter checklist is Diwali's: the host, the meal, lamps, the call with family far away and the photos. You rename the event, pick the day your gurdwara keeps, and reword or remove any task that does not fit.
Who can see our Bandi Chhor Divas photos?
Only the relatives you invite. Kunbaa is invite-only, has no ads and sells nobody's data. See exactly how private Kunbaa is.
Does it cost anything?
Starting a family, the tree, events and the album are free, and everyone in the family joins free. Kunbaa Plus is an optional paid plan for keeping more of the family archive. See pricing.