PM Modi will make a visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar district of Punjab on February 1 in an attempt to attend the celebrations on Guru Ravidas Jayanti, one of the major religious events of Ravidassians.
The visit has been regarded as both a spiritual and a social one because Guru Ravidas is admired throughout northern India owing to the teachings he made on equality, compassion and human dignity.
An Excursion Out of Tradition
In traditional practices, Guru Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated by Prime Minister Modi paying his respects at the birthplace of the saint, Govardhanpur in Varanasi which is the parliamentary constituency of the Prime Minister.
Certainly, the choice to go to Punjab, rather than Varanasi, this year shows the significance of the Dera Sachkhand Ballan, one of the most powerful spiritual centres of the Ravidassia community.
This has been very popular among the followers especially in the Doaba region where the people have strong religious and cultural background.
Why Dera Sachkhand Ballan Matters
Dera Sachkhand Ballan is the key to maintaining and advancing the teachings of Guru Ravidas. The Dera is also followed not only in Punjab but also in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and in the overseas Sikh and Dalit communities.
The Ravidassia and Scheduled Caste community is a large social group in Punjab, particularly in Doaba where almost 45 percent of the population are the residents of Dalit communities. It is due to this that the Dera also has a lot of social influence.
Security Arrangements and Schedule of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister Modi is supposed to arrive at the Dera at about 4 pm after attending parliamentary work at New Delhi in the morning.
The Punjab Police and central agencies are putting up comprehensive security arrangements. The local administration has started preparing to facilitate an easy flow, handling the crowds, and administering security on the visitation.
PM Modi Potential Announcements on The Visit
According to political sources, the visit of the Prime Minister could involve some significant announcements that would be related to the legacy of Guru Ravidas.
A suggestion that is being discussed is the rebranding of the Adampur Airport as Guru Ravidas, a long time aspiration of the local leaders. In case of the announcement, it would be considered a token gesture that would acknowledge the historical and spiritual role of the saint.
Even though official confirmation has not been done yet, the expectations of the devotees are high.
Dear Leadership Recognition
To make the whole event more important, Sant Niranjan Dass, the chief of Dera Sachkhand Ballan was recently awarded Padma Shri Award in the Republic Day honours list.
It was awarded to him due to his decades of work in disseminating the teachings of Guru Ravidas and enhancing social peace through spiritual leadership.
Sant Niranjan Dass takes thousands of his followers to Varanasi annually to celebrate Jayanti. He is likely to spend this year in Punjab hosting the visit of the Prime Minister.
Celebrations on The State Level are Also Planned
The Punjab government has also added state level Guru Ravidas Jayanti programmes along with the central event.
On February 6, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will be visiting the tapo-asthan at Khuralgarh in Hoshiarpur, where a 151-foot Minar-e-Begampura monument will be unveiled, which is an ode to equality and social justice as envisioned by Guru Ravidas.
Plans of creating a Guru Ravidas Research Centre to preserve literature, philosophy and historic records associated with the saint have also reemerged by the state government.
Behind the Parties There is a Spiritual Message
Begumpura, the society devoid of discrimination, fear and inequality, was preached by a 15 th -century saint and social reformer Guru Ravidas. His teachings remain relevant to millions of people particularly those communities that have traditionally experienced social exclusion.
Guru Ravidas Jayanti is not merely a religious day but it is also a reminder of unity, respect and equality of humans -values that are very relevant today.
The inclusion and the respect of Indian diversity of spiritual practices is a bigger message that is shown by the presence of the Prime Minister in Dera Sachkhand Ballan.
In a country where political and social milestones are awaited in the future, the visit will bring national interest to a celebration whose foundation stems in faith, history and social reform.
It is but more than politics to the devotees themselves, since it is the recognition of the eternal message of Guru Ravidas of equality and dignity to all.