Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2023: Date, Time, History, Tenets And Celebrations

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Guru Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated in honour of Guru Ravidas who was a famous exponent of the Bhakti Movement, disciple of Sant Kabir and the revered Guru of Sant Meera Bai. Guru Ravidas wrote 41 hymns that were finally included in the holy book of Sikhs the Guru Granth Sahib. His spiritual tenets were studied by Sikh Gurus as well. He was known for his relentless efforts towards eradicating the ills of the caste system. This is a North Indian festival that is celebrated predominantly in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Chandigarh. The 5 February 2023, is going to mark the 646th Birth Anniversary of Guru Ravidas.

Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2023: Date And Tithi

Ravidas Jayanti falls on the Sunday, February 5, 2023. Purnima Tithi Begins at 10:59 am on 04 Feb 2023 and ends at 01:28 pm on 05 Feb 2023.

Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2023: History

Guru Ravidas, as per the historical reports was born in 1377 C.E on a Magha Purnima day in 14th century at Seer Govardhanput, Uttar Pradesh. His birthplace, now named as Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan is a major pilgrimage centre for his followers.
Ravidas, as per a legend, was a brahmin, who at the time of his death, saw a woman of chamar caste and wished that she could be his mother. As per his wish, post death, he reincarnated as Ravidas from the same woman's womb. Guru Ji belonged to a chamar family that worked on dead animals to create leather products, which for the same reason was declared as untouchable. He was born in Seer Goverdhanpur, UP.
He was a contemporary and disciple of Kabir with whom he held several important discussions on spirituality. Guru Ravidas Ji was known to possess unusual powers to treat leprosy. He had an extremely positive attitude and had his devotional songs on Sant Kabir added to the Guru Granth Sahib. He was also a married Gruhastha whose wife's name was Shreematee Lona Devi and had a son named Vijaydas.

Guru Ravidas 2023: Tenets That He Preached

Guru Ravidas believed that all of us are born equal and we are all souls that deserve equal dignity and respect and caste does not play a role here. Man or woman, irrespective of gender differences is eligible to reach God. He believed that God exists in all human beings and hence caste hierarchy does not play a role. . He was a cult figure in whose name a new sect of Raviddasia took shape with numerous followers from all over the globe.

Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2023: Celebrations

After the holy dip, his followers spend time to recall the miracles of his life, visit his birthplace and observe his birthday on Ravidas Jayanti. Large processions carrying Guru's images are drawn out in a procession on streets. Sikh scriptures are also recited in his name, and holy dips are performed by devotees to conduct rites. Aarti is conducted and a celebration is organized at his Asthan Mandir at Varanasi. Apart from Ravidas Ji's followers, even Kabirpanthis, sikhs and other gurus pay their respects to him on this day.
Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Mandir, Seer Goverdhanpur, is the hub of religious activities on this day in which lakhs of followers from across the globe participate. Followers of Ravidassia religion usually come from Ad dharmis, Ramdassia Sikhs, Chamars, Jatavs, and Mochis who dress up like him and participate in Nagar Kirtan on this day.

What You Can Do....

All you can do, if you are not a Ravidass devotee, is to give a shout out to devotees on his day, like and follow them on social media. You will be doing a lot to endorse the path of humanity which he so ardently followed all his life.