Today is Ravidas Jayanti
Guru Ravidas (also known as Raidas), was born in the fifteenth century at Varanasi (Benares or Banaras or or Kashi) in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. His birthday comes every year at Puran Mashi in the month of Magh. His mother's name was Mata Kalsi and his father's name was Baba Santokh Dass. In his poetry, he describes himself as a leather worker, someone whose contact with dead animals would have marked him as an untouchable in Indian society.
Since early childhood, Guru Ravidas was very much inclined toward spirituality. He used to go to attend holy discourses and showed great respect and devotion to holy men. This worried his's aparents and they tried to divert his attention by engaging him in their family profession of shoe making and repairing. He learned the profession, yet his love and devotion for God continued undiminished. With a view to make him more interested in worldly affairs, his father got him married to Bagavati (Lona Devi) at an early age. But even then it didn't change his attitude or his behaviour.
According to Ravidass Puran Guru Ravidas had a son named Vijaydas.
From early childhood he was very much devoted to worshipping the real God. The high caste Brahmans created so many problems for him and tried their best to restrict him. Because of this he had to appear before the King Nagar Mal many times. In the end the King was persuaded and became a follower of Guru Ravidas. Guru Ravidas taught the lessons of Universal Brotherhood and tolerance.
Influenced by Guru Ravidas's teachings, the Maharaja and the Rani of Chittor became his disciples. It is generally thought to have been a younger contemporary of Kabir. According to some sources, Ravidas was initiated by Kabir's famous guru Ramananda. And some traditions assert that Ravidas was, in turn, the guru of the great female poet-saint Mirabai.
Guru Ravidas travelled quite widely, as his poems indicate a good knowledge of Hindi, Urdu, Persian and many regional languages of India. Guruji's followers are found in many states of India such as Uttar Pardesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.The two oldest sources of his work are the Sikh scripture, the Adigranth, and in the collections of songs compiled by the Dadu Panth. There are 41 hymns of Ravidas included in the Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Ravidass & Meera Bai
Meera regarded Guru Ravidas ji as her spiritual Guru. In 15th century itself Guru Ravidas Ji propagated the message that caste has no meaning and its one's own karmas that decide one's fate.
The incidents of his life have always been inspiration to the people. According to one such incident, one morning Guru Ravidas's disciples were going to take bath in the sacred Ganges and insisted Guru Ravidas to accompany them. Guru Ravidas had promised to deliver shoes to one of his customers on that particular day. So, he was not able to join them. When one of his neighbors persisted, then Guru Ravidas uttered his belief saying that: "Man changa tow kathoti mein Ganga". That is if your heart is pious then the holy river is right in your tub and you need not go anywhere else.
There is a small chhatri in front of Meera's temple. It has guru Ravidas' engraved foot print. As a respect to her guru, Meera once wrote,"Guru Milyaa Raidaasji…."
Guru Ravidass & Kabir
Sri Guru Ravidas is associated with the other great north Indian sant, Kabir, in a story where a great debate between them is represented as a saguna versus nirguna (without qualities) devotion debate. They also show the aspiration to go beyond caste, though the translated poems, available from 'authenticated' collections, lack the bitter condemnation of Brahmanism and caste that can be found in Kabir and Tukaram. The Dohas and Bhakti songs written by Guru Ravidas have always tried to spread love and care among the people's hearts. Guru Ravidas also tried to bring the Hindus and Muslims together and this is evident from his thoughts which have been expressed in his songs. Guru Ravidass uttered his belief saying that "Ka Mathura, Ka Dwarika, Ka Kashi Haridwar,Raidas Khoja Dil Aapna, Teh Miliya Dildar", That is one can meet God in his own heart even if he does not go on any pilgrimage.
http://hmindia.blogspot.in/2009/03/ack-108-guru-ravidas.html
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