Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan
श्री गुरु रविदास जनम स्थान
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜਨਮ ਅਸਥਾਨ
Religion
AffiliationRavidassia religion
Location
LocationSeer Goverdhanpur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Architecture
StyleMughal architecture
Groundbreaking14 June 1965
Completed1972 (initial structure), 1994 (current structure)

25°15′24″N 82°59′56″E / 25.2565696°N 82.9987619°E / 25.2565696; 82.9987619

Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan Mandir, located in Seer Goverdhanpur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India,[1] is an important cultural and religious site for Dalits, Ravidasis, and Ramdasia Sikhs. It was built to mark the birthplace of Ravidas. Millions of devotees gather there for Ravidas's birthday each year.

History

In the mid-1960s, the leaders of Dera Ballan began an effort to build a place of pilgrimage at the birthplace of Ravidas.[2] They determined that Ravidas had been born in Seer Goverdhanpur, and one of them, Hari Dass, laid the foundation stone for this temple on 14 June 1965 while Sarwan Dass was the head of the Dera. Dera Ballan provided funding for the first phase of the temple's construction – a small mandir was built at the site in 1972. The more impressive current structure was completed in 1994 with the help of people from India and other countries, especially overseas devotees who donated through a trust formed by Dera Ballan in 1983.[1][2] Kanshi Ram, founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), ceremoniously installed the temple's golden dome.[1][3]

During the temple's construction, Dera Ballan's ownership of the temple through a trust was disputed by the All India Adi-Dharm Mission based in New Delhi. Dera Ballan responded with legal action, and they documented the ceremonies they organized at the temple to prove their ownership of it.[1]

Pilgrimage

The birth anniversary of Ravidas is celebrated at the temple every year, attracting millions of devotees from India and abroad.[1][4] The festivities include musical prayer and kirtan.[4] Dera Ballan and the All India Adi-Dharm Mission consider Seer Goverdhanpur to be the birthplace of Ravidas, though some scholars trace his birthplace to Mandoorgarh village, also near Varanasi.[1] Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan is a nearly 13-minute drive from Sant Guru Ravidas Ghat, Varanasi.[5]

Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan is an important cultural and religious site for Dalits. Researcher Ronki Ram writes, "This temple has acquired, perhaps, the same importance for Dalits as Mecca has for Muslims and the Golden Temple has for Sikhs."[1] It is also an important site for Ravidasis[4][2] and Ramdasia Sikhs.[6][7]

Guru Ravidas Gate

On 25 May 1997, Kanshi Ram of the BSP laid the foundation stone of the huge monumental gate, Guru Ravidas Gate, which leads to the temple. K. R. Narayanan, the then-President of India, performed the opening ceremony of the gate on 16 July 1998.[8][1] The gate was the destination of a candle march carried out by students from Banaras Hindu University to support natives of Nepal after an earthquake in April 2015.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ram, Ronki (2008). "Ravidass Deras and Social Protest: Making Sense of Dalit Consciousness in Punjab (India)". The Journal of Asian Studies. 67 (4): 1355–1356. doi:10.1017/S0021911808001800. ISSN 0021-9118. JSTOR 20203488.
  2. 1 2 3 Singh, Gurharpal (2012). "Religious Transnationalism and Development Initiatives: The Dera Sachkhand Ballan". Economic and Political Weekly. 47 (1): 54–58. ISSN 0012-9976. JSTOR 23065577.
  3. ↑ "Deciphering dera politics | Dera Sachkhand Ballan". The Times of India. 24 November 2011. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "Huge congregation expected for Ravidas Jayanti celebrations". The Times of India. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Ravidas Ghat to Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Mandir". Ravidas Ghat to Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Mandir. 5 October 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Sports (13 February 2016). "According to party leaders, more than one lakh dalit Sikhs (also called Ramdasia Sikhs) from Punjab reach Ravidas Temple in Seer Govardhan area of Varanasi every year". The Indian Express. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "In view of Punjab Assembly polls, Ravidas Jayanti is significant as lakhs of Sikh followers (Ramdasia Sikhs) from across the country are likely to come to the city on this occasion". Zee News (in Latin). 13 February 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "Dera Sachkhand Ballan". The Times of India. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "Varanasi pours out heart for Nepal earthquake victims". The Times of India. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
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