Who is Guru Ravidas?
Guru Ravidas is a mystic and poet who played an essential role in the Bhakti movement in India during the 15th and the 16th centuries.
Guru Ravidas was also a Perfect Living Spiritual Master of his times. He was a contemporary of Saint Kabir. He, along with his group of devotees used to sing songs of Divine Love and often remained engrossed in the ecstasy of Divine Love of the Lord.
| Holiday | Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2023 |
| Date in 2023 | 5th February 2023 |
| Day in 2023 | Sunday |
| Significance | Remembrance of Guru Ravidas, who played an essential role in the Bhakti movement. |
| Celebration | Gurudwaras all around the country are decorated and hold prayers and sing the hymns of Guru Ravidas. Schools hold prayers, essays & assemblies enlightening the students with the work of Guru Ravidas. |
| Guru Ravidas Date of Birth | 1377 C.E |
Why is Guru Ravidas famous?
Guru Ravidas had a disciple named Meera Bai. Meera Bai was not only the princess of Mewar, Rajasthan but also a Divine Lover of the Lord. On the other hand, Guru Ravidas was a cobbler born in a lower-caste family.
One day, Saint Ravidas visited Meera’s palace. Saint Ravidas was also a Spiritual Counselor to the Meera’s parents, the King & the Queen. It was then that Meera (a 9 yr old child) was introduced to the idol of Sri Krishna. Meera immediately fell in love with Sri Krishna’s idol.
As a child, Meera was deeply in love with the idol of Sri Krishna and started assuming Sri Krishna as her husband when she was just 9 years old.
Meera had numerous questions about God but could not find any satisfactory answers from her parents or elders.
It was only when Saint Ravidas, who was a Perfect Spiritual Master had started giving answers to Meera that she started visiting Saint Ravidas often. Soon Meera Bai became his disciple.
Hundreds of years later and till date, Meera Bai is remembered and revered as the Lover of God. But she would have not been able to receive the vision of Sri Krishna if she had not got the initiation into the Meditative Journey by the then Perfect Spiritual Master, Saint Ravidas.
Saint Ravidas is famous because it was his teaching & spiritual techniques given to Meera Bai that made Meera a deep meditator & a lover of God and eventually directed her onto the path where she could realize the vision of God.
What Spiritual technique did Saint Ravidas taught to Meera bai?
Saint Ravidas was a Perfect Spiritual Master. A Perfect Spiritual Master or the True Guru is rarely found in Kalyug.
In today’s times, everybody is declaring himself as a Spiritual Guru. But that is not who a Guru really is.
The Hindu Scriptures, the Vedas & the Upanishads have taught us how to recognize a True Guru and how to differentiate the Fake from the Real one.
People think that if anybody who has a long beard or wears orange clothes and speaks some words from scriptures becomes a Guru. NO. That is not how we should identify a Guru.
Do we consider a thief as a Policeman if he wears the dress of a Policeman? NO.
Learn How to Find a Perfect Spiritual Master here.
Meera Bai was not allowed to meet her Spiritual Master, Saint Ravidas by her in-laws as they considered Guru Ravidas as lower caste. Meera, on the contrary, believed that the Religion & the Caste of the Spiritual Master must not be given any importance.
She was wise and realized that it was the spiritual knowledge that was most important because she knew that the Real Spiritual Saints are extremely hard to find in this world.
Guru Ravidas had initiated Meera Bai into the Spiritual Secrets of the universe early in her childhood. Saint Ravidas was a Perfect Spiritual Master, that is most hard to find in this world.
When is Sant Ravidas Jayanti in 2023?
Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of Magh month. Thus, the date changes every year based on the phase of the moon. In 2023, Ravidas Jayanti will be celebrated on the 5th of February, Sunday.
Why is Ravidas Jayanti Celebrated?
Guru Ravidas and Sikhism
Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated in remembrance of Guru Ravidas, who played an essential role in the Bhakti movement during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Several hymns and verses written & sung by Saint Ravidas found a place in Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the holy book for the Sikhs. His spiritual teachings were very popular amongst the true spiritual seekers. He also worked towards social reformation by awakening people against the differences caused by casteism.
There is also a religion known as the ‘Ravidassia’ religion or the ‘Ravidas Panth’, which is dedicated to Ravidas Ji. This religion was not created by Guru Ravidas.
We know how it usually happens in this world that when a teacher passes away, people usually create a religion out of his teachings rather than actually implementing the teachings.
Similarly, ‘Ravidas Panth’ means the ‘path of Ravidas’ which essentially means “Ravidas taught certain teachings and that this is his path’. It is not a religion but people created a religion out of it too.
Apart from being deeply involved in spirituality, his work towards communal friendship and equality was highly praised, making him a highly appreciated social leader.
How is Ravidas Jayanti Celebrated?
The first Sant Ravidas Jayanti was celebrated 646 years ago. Over the years, people have been paying their respects every year on his birthday.
Saint Ravidas was born in Varanasi, which is why numerous devotees from all parts of the world come together in Varanasi every year and celebrate his birth anniversary. The celebrations includes the ritual of taking a dip in the river.
Guru Ravidas holds an extremely important place in the Spiritual History of India.
Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Holy Book of Sikhs mentions the poems & work of Guru Ravidas.
Gurudwaras all around the world hold prayers and sing the hymns of Guru Ravidas.
Schools hold prayers, essays & assembly thoughts, thus enlightening the students with the history & the work of Guru Ravidas.
Guru Ravidas Bhajan
Following is one of the most famous Shabads written by Saint Ravidas. Different singers sing this song in different ways and tone. I remember I used to listen to this shabad many times a day when I was a teenager.
P.S. starts at 1:30
Bohot janam Bichre the madho
Eh janam tumhare lekhe
translation~
Many lifetimes I have been separated from you O’Lord
This life is dedicated to you, O’Lord
Bani Guru Ravidas Ji –
Guru Ravidas University
Guru Ravidas Ayurved University was NOT started by guru ravidas. It was established in 2011 by the Government of Punjab for the upliftment of AYUSH in the state of Punjab and country as a whole. By making earnest efforts, it started functioning w.e.f 1st February; 2011.[Reference Website]
Final Word
Guru Ravidas was a great spiritual teacher who became famous by his own Divine Love & Spiritual Teachings and also by the success of his disciple Meera Bai as a Divine Lover.
Q1. Is Ravidas Jayanti a gazetted holiday?
Ans. No, Ravidas Jayanti is an optional holiday. While most businesses remain operational, some organizations may observe the Guru Ravidas Jayanti a holiday.
Q2. When is Guru Ravidas’ date of birth?
Ans. There is no concrete information about the exact date of birth of Guru Ravidas. People and scriptures are divided in their opinion about this. However, it is believed that he was born on the day when there is a full moon in the Magh month. His birth anniversary is thus celebrated on Magh Purnima.
Q3. Where is Ravidas Jayanti celebrated?
Ans. Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated across North India, especially in UP and Punjab. The grandest celebration takes place at his birthplace, Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan Mandir in Seer Goverdhanpur, Varanasi.
Q4. Are Ravidas and Raidas the same?
Yes, Guru Ravidas & Raidas are referred to the same person. ‘Raidas’ is a Punjabi word or as they speak the name ‘Ravidas’ in the Punjabi language.
Q5. Who did Ravidas worship?
The way of worshipping the Lord for Guru Ravidas was worshipping Sri Krishna. Guru Ravidas called Sri Krishna as ‘Thakur Ji’. Further in life, Guru Ravidas’ famous disciple Meera Bai, known as the Divine Lover, also started calling Sri Krishna as Thakur Ji out of Love. Guru Ravidas taught that the formless Lord could be realized by specific spiritual techniques learnt under the guidance of a Perfect Living Spiritual Master, as also taught in the Bhagavad Geeta by Sri Krishna.
Q6.Was St Ravidas a Hindu?
‘Ravidas’ is a Hindu name. St Ravidas was a Hindu born in a lower caste family. He was a famous Saint who worshipped Sri Krishna and referred to Sri Krishna as ‘Thakur Ji’ out of Love. St Ravidas is the pioneer of Bhakti Movement in India. Meera became the very famous Bhakt of Sri Krishna and is remembered till date.
Guru Ravidas is NOT A SIKH. Just because he got a mention in the Sikh scriptures do not make him a Sikh. Even Kabir Ji’s hymns have been mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji that compiled the most beautiful hymns of the Indian Mystics by the Sikh Gurus.
Meera Bai was not allowed to meet her Spiritual Master, Saint Ravidas by her in-laws. Meera, on the contrary, believed that the Religion & the Caste of the Spiritual Master must not be given any importance. She said it was the spiritual knowledge that was most important as the Real Spiritual Saints are extremely hard to find in this world. St Ravidas initiated Meera Bai into the Spiritual Secrets of the Universe with his spiritual wisdom. Saint Ravidas was a Perfect Spiritual Master, that is most hard to find in this world.
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