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Shri Guru Ravidass Maharaj Ji (also Raidas, Rohidas and Ruhidas in eastern India) was a North Indian Sant mystic of the bhakti movement who was active in the 15th century CE. Venerated in the region of Uttar Pradesh as well as the Indian state of Maharashtra, his devotional songs and verses made a lasting impact upon the bhakti movement. He is often given the honorific "Bhagat" or "Sant". Guru Ravidass Ji is also founder of the Ravidassia Religion.

He was a shoemaker of the Chamar caste. All of his devotional songs were included in the Sikh holy book, the Adi Granth, by the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev. There is also a larger body of hymns passed on independently that is claimed and attributed to ravidas by some. Ravidas was subversive in that his devotionalism implied a levelling of the social divisions of caste and gender, yet ecumenical in that it tended to promote crossing of sectarian divides in the name of a higher spiritual unity. He taught that one is distinguished not by one's caste (jāti) but by one's actions (karma) and that every person has the right to worship God and read holy texts. He opened a frontal attack against the system of Untouchability. He rejected the tradition of Brahmin mediator to reach the Supreme Being. He also said that one need not to hide his caste or leave his low profession to reach God. He became a model for his fellow beings to overcome the hierarchical barriers of Brahminical Social Order and to establish Begumpura - a state without fear and sorrows. Guru Ravidass elevated the status of the labour by emphasizing on the fact that honest labour is empowering.

Artificial social differences between humans has existed in the country as of higher and lower castes. But people at large, believed that certain persons who led a pure and virtuous life and constantly engaged in the supreme effort of realization of God were above the caste and creed. These were venerated as saints and highly respected. Temples were built in the memory of holy men who belonged to so called "untouchable" castes. Tiruppani Alvar in Tamil Nadu, Chokha Mela in Maharashtra, Madara Dhulayya in Karnataka were examples of such saints. Guru Ravidas, who lived near Kashi in middle of 15th century was another such saint who has left behind a great legacy. Kanshi is as holy place for Ravidassias as it is for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs.

Guru Ravidas (a.k.a. Raidas) was born in the village of Sear Goverdhanpur, very close to the Holy city of Kanshi or Varanasi, in the cobbler community. Only the name of mother of Guru Ravidas is known to us; it was Kalasi.

From early childhood, Guru Ravidas developed spiritual tendencies while attending to his family vocation of repairing shoes. To drive his attention to worldly affairs he was married early. But it did not help. His wife was a pious and God-fearing woman who turned out to be a right partner in Guru Ravidas' quest for self-realization. They spent meager savings of their humble profession in serving holy men and in contemplation.

Guru Ravidas composed and sang songs in praise of the Supreme. He did not worship any one deity. He believed in one and only omniscient and omnipresent God.

In the mid 20th centuries there emerged a distinct religion, the Ravidassias, for whom he is the chief Guru. Ravidasis are mainly Punjabi Chamar caste and their faith, the Ravidassia Religion, is a socia-religious identity. A temple was built at his birthplace in 1978. Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated with a procession, bearing the portrait of the great ascetic in the main streets and bazaars of the city with music.

Background
The details of Guru Ravidas' life are controversial. According to some he was born in 1376/7 or else 1399 CE but many scholars offer later dates. Schaller estimates his lifespan as 1450-1520 while the Encyclopædia Britannica contents itself with a floreat of 15th-16th century CE. Partly this is due to traditions that make him, one one hand, like his contemporary Kabir the disciple of Ramananda (he is mentioned as such c.1600 CE in Nabhadas' Bhaktamal) but also, on the other, the guru of Meera (according to a song attributed to her: "guru miliyaa raidasjee"). However, as Schaller points out, the importance of such claims lies in their establishing the authority of a lineage of gurus (parampara). One may count oneself a disciple of a master without having actually met him.

His origin and parents are also given differently. According to history he was born in a village named Seer Govardhanpur, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India: his father Baba Santokh Das was a leather merchant (chamar) and Mata Kalsa Devi was his mother. His father got him married to Mata Lona Devi at early age and according to the Ravidas Purana he had a son named Vijaydas. A region between Ahmednagar and Benares is named after him.

The queen of Chittorgarh is said to have been a disciple (this may be connected with Meera, who was married to the ruler of Chittorgarh). It is said that the conservative Brahmins of Kashi could not stand the popularity of this "untouchable saint". A complaint was made to the king that he was working against age-old norms of social order (varnashrama dharma) - a cobbler was not supposed to talk of God or do work of advising or teaching. The ruler arranged for an assembly of learned men. Ravidas was also invited and was felicitated publicly. A procession was arranged (shobha yatra) and the king himself participated.

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.

Songs and teachings
Guru Ravidass ji was one of the brightest luminaries in the firmament of the Bhakti Movement, which was a religious renaissance in India. Guru Ravidass upheld the equality of all mankind, giving the call "deed not the creed makes man high or low". Guru Ravidass emphasized the fundamental tenets underlying all religions. Guru Ravidass taught in times dominated by the rigidity and narrow-mindedness of the caste system, and illuminated the atmosphere with his enlightenment. As a proponent of the "Bhakti Movement", his contribution was truly great, spreading the philosophy of spiritual self-realization through "Bhakti", and dispelling the darkness of "ajnana", with "jnana" (wisdom). Guru Ravidass emerged as a great philosopher-poet and social reformer, for humanity at large. Born in most humble surroundings, in the house of a cobbler, Guru Ravidass had a spiritual bend of mind. even in his early life. His father inspired  him to join the family business, but Guru  Ravidass, imbued with celestial and humane values, spent the money received from his father for business, in the welfare of the needy. Guru Ravidass being a 'charmkar' by birth was denied entry into temples. The maharaja and rani of Chittor became his disciples. Mira Bai, the famous saint poetess also adopted him as her Guru. Guru Ravidass composed many shabdas and his teachings are included in Ravidassia Holy Book Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji Ki. Gurus shabdas are packed with divine wisdom and in each of them, he advocates 'Ram nam jap' and extols the efficacy of this great mantra. In his teachings, Guru Ravidass says, "God is everywhere'. in you and me."


 * How to escape? I recite the name Ram.
 * Lord, if you are sandalwood, I am water;
 * With the fragrance in all parts of my body.
 * Lord, if you are a cloud, I am a peacock;
 * Looking for you like a chakora for the moon.
 * Lord, if you are a lamp, I am the wick;
 * With a light burning day and night.
 * Lord, if you are a pearl, I am the thread;
 * Together like gold and bracelet.
 * Lord, you are the master and I servant;
 * thus is the devotion of Raidas.

This song demonstrates several key facets of Ravidas' ''sant bhakti'. His similes for the divine - water, cloud, light, gold - suggest the one god and state that he himself is inseparable from that formless yet that he is the one who gives it form.

Today he is respected, as when Bangaru Laxman (Organiser, 6-8-1995) accused Congress leader Sitaram Kesri of showing "disrespect to Dalit saints like Ravidas, Satyakam Jabali, Sadhna Kasai, Banka Mahar, Dhanna Chamar and others who protected Hindus against foreign onslaughts."