Number 52 is special for Sikhs

THE number 52 has a special significance for the Sikhs. It symbolises divine completeness, spiritual wisdom and gender equality.

Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs, established 52 Piris, which were sub-centres for the social uplift and spiritual guidance of women. Headed by a preacher called ‘Bibi ji’, their aim was to propagate the teachings of Guru Nanak among womenfolk. A similar system, named Manji, was set up for men; it was headed by a devout Gurmukh.

The number appears in the Pawan Baani, named Bawan Akhari, composed by Guru Arjan Dev and Bhagat Kabir. It consists of 52 verses, and all 52 letters of the Gurmukhi alphabet have been used in it. It is found on ang (page) 250-262 and ang 340-343, respectively, in the Guru Granth Sahib.

The legacy of ‘52’ was enriched by Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, who was deceitfully sent to the Gwalior jail, where 52 kings/princes were languishing and had no hope of being released. The Guru virtually turned the prison into a gurdwara to offer prayers.

This gesture made an impact on Mughal Emperor Jahangir, who ordered the Guru’s release. The latter, however, said he would go out only when all prisoners were set free. Then, the emperor ordered that anyone who could hold the Guru’s cloak could go out. The Guru got stitched a large robe (chola) with 52 tassels. With his blessings, all 52 prisoners came out of the jail by holding the chola. This compassionate act of the Guru earned him the title of Bandi Chhor (liberator of prisoners). The Sikhs celebrate this day as Bandi Chhor Divas, which coincides with Diwali.

The seventh Sikh master, Guru Har Rai, established 52 gardens at Kiratpur Sahib along with the famous Naulakha Bagh with rare plants and herbs. Medicinal herbs from the Bagh cured Dara Shikoh, son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, from an illness caused possibly by poisoning.

This number attained greater glory when Guru Gobind Singh set up a court of 52 distinguished people at Anandpur Sahib; they were known as ‘Bavanja Kavis’. This group included poets, scholars, writers and translators, who translated Vedas, Upanishads, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita into Punjabi and Braj Bhasha.

The 52 Hukamnamas (edicts), which laid down a code of conduct for the Khalsa Panth, were issued at Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib (in photo) in 1708 in Nanded (now in Maharashtra). Thus, this number continues to take pride of place in Sikh religion and culture.