New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) BJP) announced the launch of a nationwide campaign titled Sant Shiromani Shri Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj Samarasata Sankalp Abhiyan (Social Harmony Pledge Campaign). The campaign will run from July 29, 2026, to February 20, 2027, to mark the 650th birth anniversary (Prakat Utsav) of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji.
Its objective is to take the saint’s message of social harmony, equality and public awakening to every village across the country, BJP National General Secretaries Tarun Chugh and Dushyant Kumar Gautam told media persons at the party’s central office in New Delhi on Monday.
Gautam said the BJP consistently honours great personalities who enriched India’s cultural and social values. He recalled that Sant Guru Ravidas was born in Seer Govardhan village in Varanasi and attained spiritual liberation at Chittorgarh Fort. Living in a period of forced religious conversions and widespread distress, the saint, along with other Bhakti movement luminaries, spread cultural values through regional languages and guided society towards awakening. Kabir Das conferred upon him the title of ‘Sant Shiromani’.
Gautam highlighted Guru Ravidas’s teachings, including the renowned saying “Man changa toh kathauti mein Ganga” (If the mind is pure, the Ganga resides in the humble water-trough), and his vision of Begumpura, a casteless society free from sorrow where high and low live together. His disciples included Mirabai and several rulers, while 41 of his hymns are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib.
He also listed initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the naming of Adampur Airport after the saint, a special train, temple developments at multiple sites, a research centre in Sagar, and reconstruction of the Tughlaqabad temple in Delhi.
Chugh announced that the campaign will begin on Guru Purnima (July 29) with the flagging-off of 131 sacred kalash containing soil from the saint’s birthplace in Varanasi. These will travel to 21,000 locations nationwide by September 10, accompanied by processions, aarti and puja (worship). A Deepotsav (lighting of earthen lamps) will be held at 51,000 temples, including a grand lamp display at Varanasi’s Ganga Ghat.
Further phases will include outreach to saints, a major yatra (religious procession) from Jalandhar to Varanasi (October 5–November 5), programmes in schools and hostels, and development of five key sites associated with the saint’s life. The campaign aims to spread the message of unity and harmony throughout the year leading up to the 650th birth anniversary.
The third phase will involve outreach to the youth to disseminate Sant Guru Ravidas Ji’s principles among the masses. In the fourth phase, processions will be organised from every village in the country to encourage devotees to visit the birthplace of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji.
–IANS
sktr/dan
