Varanasi: It seems Uttar Pradesh is one-stop spiritual destination for tourists and visitors this season. While Prayagraj is brimming with Maha Kumbh devotees, Varanasi, on the other hand, is also witnessing a huge surge of pilgrims for another grand spiritual event, the 648th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas on February 12.
Preparation for Sant Shiromani Ravidas Jayanti is in full swing as over 10 lakh pilgrims from across India including Punjab, Haryana, and even countries like Germany, France, Malaysia, and the US are expected to congregate to pay obeisance to the revered saint at his birthplace in Sir Gobardhan area, near Banaras Hindu University. As part of the celebrations, a huge community kitchen has been set up to feed nearly 7000 people every hour, with services running from morning till late evening.
Since Monday, thousands of devotees have converged on Varanasi along with the head of Ravidassia community, Sant Niranjan Das, literally transforming the place into a 'Mini Punjab'. Security has been heightened in the Gobardhan area with lakhs expected to join for the grand Satsang at the pandal set up for the Jayanti celebrations.
History Of Sant Ravidas Temple
The birthplace of Guru Ravidas in Kashi was discovered in 1963 by a group of saints of Dera Sachkhand Balla, and identified on the basis of the remains of a huge tamarind tree. The main portion of the existing temple was constructed in 1965. At the same time, a tamarind tree was planted here. The temple has been built right next to it. Process of worship is as per the teachings of Sant Ravidas.
Ever since the construction of the decades-old Sant Ravidas temple in Kashi, an eternal flame is burning in a 35 kg gold lamp, built with donations received from Ravidasis from across the world. Interestingly, this also is known as the Golden Temple, because in 1994, Sant Garibdas started plating the peak of the temple with gold with the help of the community members. At present, all the 32 small and big urns of the temple have been gilded. In 2008, an NRI devotee had built the palanquin of Sant Shri in Jalandhar with 130 kg gold. Devotees get to see it only on the day of Sant Ravidas' birth anniversary. The Ravidassia community was reportedly floated in Kashi in 2010, a year after the murder of Sant Ramanand in 2009.
The birthplace of Sant Ravidas holds not just religious but also political significance. Leaders like Mayawati used to attend every event here when she was the Chief Minister. After that, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav have also participated in programmes here, given its influence among Dalits and backward communities across Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, which was a significant vote bank. Even PM Narendra Modi, CM Yogi Adityanath, former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other senior leaders have attended the birth celebrations of Sant Ravidas aimed at uniting millions within and beyond the borders.
Guru Ravidas was a revered mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement, born in 1377 CE in Manduadih, Varanasi. A spiritual leader and social reformer, he dedicated his life to fighting caste discrimination, promoting equality and gender parity.
