Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2024: Achievements of the Great Guru Ravidas & How to Celebrate His Birthday

Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2024 is being celebrated on February 24, 2024. He was a poet, Indian mystic, spiritual guru and social reformer.

“करम बंधन में बन्ध रहियो, फल की ना तज्जियो आस
कर्म मानुष का धर्म है, सत् भाखै रविदास”– Guru Ravidas

Guru Ravidas was an Indian mystic poet and saint as well as a well-known social reformer who worked to remove casteism.

He was a believer of unity and believed that people should not be discriminated on the basis of caste, religion or gender. He was leaned towards spirituality from an early age and used to spend most of his time in spiritual pursuits at the banks of river Ganga at his birthplace near Varanasi.

Although the exact date of birth of Guru Ravidas is not known, it is believed that he was born on Purnima in the month of Magh somewhere around 14^th or 15^th century. His birthday is known as Guru Ravidas Jayanti and is celebrated with high spirit and enthusiasm, especially in north India.

Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2024 Date

Whether it is a Holiday on Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2024?

Guru Ravidas Jayanti is not a national holiday and a day off is observed in the states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab only.

However, apart from these states, Guru Ravidas birthday is celebrated in other parts of the country like Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh. According to the Hindu calendar, Guru Ravidas Jayanti 2024 will be celebrated on Saturday, 24th of February.

History & Achievements of Guru Ravidas

Guru Ravidas was born as Raidas into a low caste family (chamar) in Seer Govardhanpur village of Uttar Pradesh. His family was considered as untouchable and the only work they were allowed to perform was making leather products. According to a legend, Saint Ravidas was born a brahmin in his previous life.

At the time of his death, he was attracted towards a beautiful woman who belonged to the chamar caste and wished her to be his mother. After death, he took rebirth from the womb of that woman and thus was born as a chamar in the next life.

Guru Ravidas was a spiritual person who believed that every person is equal and should be treated as one. He was totally against the caste system and believed that every human being should have some basic rights.

Guru Ravidas became a part of the Bhakti Movement and began teaching spirituality to people. His preaches were all about promotion of equality and he worked hard towards oppression of the Indian caste system.

He was also considered as a great scholar and social reformer and there are many texts and scriptures that suggest that even Brahmins used to respect him and bow in front of him. People from different backgrounds who were moved by his teachings came together to work for the elimination of caste system.

Ravidas was also a great poet who wrote many devotional songs and poems. Prayers and devotional songs written by him were very popular during the bhakti movement. Few of his literary works include The Adi Granth of Sikhs, and Panchvani of the Hindu warrior-ascetic group Dadupanthis. Some of which are even included in the Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib.

It is also said that Guru Ravidas is the founder of 21st-century Ravidassia religion which is considered as a spin-off religion of Sikhism. People also believe that Meera Bai, a bhakti saint, mystic poet and devotee of Krishna, considered Guru Ravidas as her spiritual Guru. Ravidas Ji himself was a good friend and disciple of Saint Kabir.

How to celebrate Guru Ravidas Birthday 2024?

Guru Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated with great enthusiasm among people on north India, mainly in the states of Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.

A grand celebration is held at his birthplace in Seer Govardhanpur village, now known as Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan. A temple has been built there by his followers known as Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Mandir and devotees from all over the country visit this place to take part in the celebration.

Taking a dip in the holy river on his birthday is also a famous practice since it falls on a full moon day (Purnima). At many places, processions are carried out that is joined by a large number of people. This day is celebrated at many temples also,  where poems are sung in the praises of Saint Ravidas and his social reforming works are glorified. Amritbani Guru Ravidas Ji is also recited at Gurudwaras by the followers of Ravidas on his birthday.

Happy Guru Ravidas Jayanti Quotes

‘मन चंगा तो कठौती में गंगा’

‘रविदास जन्म के कारनै, होत न कोउ नीच।
नकर कूं नीच करि डारी है, ओछे करम की कीच।।’

‘करम बंधन में बन्ध रहियो, फल की ना तज्जियो आस
कर्म मानुष का धर्म है, सत् भाखै रविदास’

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