Gwalior
The fifty-two princes
Tradition says Guru Ji refused to leave without fellow prisoners, and led out fifty-two holding the strings of his cloak.
The Encyclopaedia says Sikh tradition is unanimous on this, and labels it as tradition. When the emperor ordered his release, Guru Ji refused to walk out alone, because fifty-two chiefs and princes were held in the fort with him. The emperor said that any prisoner able to grasp Guru Ji's robe might go with him. So Guru Ji had a cloak made with 52 strings, each captive took a string, and they all walked out. From that day he has been remembered as Data Bandi Chhor, the generous liberator.
Macauliffe tells it differently, with no cloak. Wazir Khan persuades the emperor, who agrees to free the rajas on condition that Guru Ji stands as their surety. Guru Ji has their fetters struck off, and they hold the hem of his garment, while reciting a verse of Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji, until he promises them salvation too.
When Guru Ji reached Amritsar, the Encyclopaedia adds, Sikhs lit up the town. The anniversary is still marked at the Harmandir Sahib with lights and fireworks.
How do we know?
Several traditional accounts tell this story, without close independent support.
The Dabistan, the only near-contemporary witness, says nothing about other prisoners. The Encyclopaedia also says Raja Kalyan Chand of Kahlur won his freedom through Guru Ji, so individual hill chiefs may stand behind the story. Fifty-two is also the number given for Guru Ji's first retinue, which may be a coincidence or may suggest how the tradition grew.
- ScholarshipGives the 52 captives and the cloak with strings as Sikh tradition, and explains the title Data Bandi Chhor.[EoS]
- ScholarshipRecords his refusal to leave unless the others were freed, the fifty-two prisoners and the lights at Amritsar.[EoS]
- Later traditionHas the rajas released on Guru Ji's surety, with their fetters struck off and the hem held.[Macauliffe]
- ScholarshipSays he was released along with Raja Dharam Chand of Hindur, which is much more limited.[Gupta]
