NEWS

Election commission of India announced postponement of Punjab general elections on account of Guru Ravidas Jayanti

GURU RAVIDAS

• Indian mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement
• Founder of the Ravidassia religion during the 15th to 16th century CE.
• Venerated as a guru (teacher) in the region of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and mainly Punjab and Haryana
• Poet-saint, social reformer and spiritual figure.
• The life details are uncertain and contested
• Scholars believe he was born in 1450 CE, in the cobbler caste.
• The Panch Vani text of the Dadupanthi tradition within Hinduism also includes numerous poems of Ravidas.
• Taught the removal of social divisions of caste and gender and promoted unity in the pursuit of personal spiritual freedoms.

PREACHINGS

• Philosophy and values – social justice, equality and fraternity
• Envisaged a society that is based on equality and free from any kind of discrimination.
• Gave it the name ‘Be-gampura’ (a city near Lahore) where there is no place for any kind of grief or fear.
• Such an ideal city would be bereft of fear, vulnerability or scarcity. Rule of law based on the right ideas like equality and welfare of all would be the principle for governance.

Dera Sachkhand Ballan

• Religious social organization (dera)
• Location – Ballan near Jalandhar, Punjab, India
• Founded by devotees of Guru Ravidas.
• Devoted to the cause of leading common masses towards a spiritual path.
• Spiritual heads of the Dera have initiated millions of people and bestowed them with “Naamdaan”.
• Adopted the mission of spreading the teachings and bani “sacred writings” of Guru Ravidass throughout India as well as in foreign countries.
• Dera has built a temple at Seer Goverdhanpur Varanasi U.P., the birthplace of Guru Ravidas. Every year they gather in Millions on the occasion of Guruji’s birthday.