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Dalit deras reject `Ravidassia Dharam'
JALANDHAR:
In a major setback to Dera Sachkhand Ballan's directive to sever ies
with Sikhs, Sri Guru Ravidas Sadhu Sampardaye Society -- a
conglomerate of more than 50 Dalit deras of Punjab -on Tuesday
rejected out ight the newly founded Ravidassia Dharam". In a major
setback to Jalandhar-based Dera Sachkhand Ballan's directive to sever
ties with Sikhs, the Sri Guru Ravidas Sadhu Sampardaye Society -- a
conglomerate of more than 150 Dalit deras of Punjab -- on Tuesday
rejected outright the newly founded "Ravidassia Dharam".
While condemning Dera Sachkhand's attempt to create a new faith out of
the Ravidassia sect, the society also announced it would continue with
the practice of following the Sikh holy book, Guru Granth Sahib.
The society, at its executive committee meeting held at Dera Babe
Jore, situated near Dera Sachkhand Ballan here, unanimously termed the
"separate religion" announcement as an attempt at dividing the
communities.
Speaking in the presence of more than 30 dera heads, society president
Baba Nirmal Dass Jore Wale said: "The decision taken by the Dera
Ballan Trust cannot be imposed on the entire Ravidassia community. The
newly created scripture `Amritbani Satguru Ravidass Maharaj-ji' will
not be treated as a `granth'. Besides, no one consulted all
stakeholders in the matter before taking the decision."
"We condemn the killing of Dera Ballan's Sant Ramanand in Vienna last
year, but the Sikh community and Guru Granth Sahib cannot be blamed
for the cowardly act of a few people. We must not oppose the holy
book," the dera heads said.
"Guru Granth Sahib will not be removed from any gurdwara, while it
will be re-installed at Seer Goverdhanpur, the birthplace of Guru
Ravidas at Varanasi. The community should continue to follow the
centuries-old religious practice," Baba Nirmal Dass said.
The meeting noted that several members of the Dalit community had
sacrificed their lives to defend the philosophy of Guru Granth Sahib.
"Guru Ravidass' bani reached the masses on being incorporated in Guru
Granth Sahib," the meeting agreed.
The participants said the sign of "Har" was created by the society in
1974, and the greeting of "Jai Gurudev" was being used by Dalits since
more than 80 years. "We are not against any dera or religious figure,
but only against the vested interests of certain people who are
misusing the name of a dera," they said.
They also criticised the attempts of some elements to browbeat those
who had challenged the Dera Sachkhand directive, as with Samaj Bachao
Morcha convener Gian Chand.
Meanwhile, two Ravidassia gurdwaras have formally installed the newly
created holy book -- "Amritbani Satguru Ravidass Maharaj-ji" --
alongside Guru Granth Sahib.
Jagdish Jassal, a Dalit villager, said Chaheru-based Dera Phul Dass
chief Kishan Nath had installed the new scripture at the Ravidassia
gurdwara in Nangal Krar Khan village on Wednesday morning. The text
bearing Guru Ravidas `bani' was placed in a separate canopy next to
the existing Guru Granth Sahib. A police team was also rushed to the
village as a preventive measure.
Similarly, the new scripture was also placed at the Ravidassia
gurdwara in Dhadde village, though in a room separate from the one in
which Guru Granth Sahib is installed.
In a major setback to Dera Sachkhand Ballan's directive to sever ies
with Sikhs, Sri Guru Ravidas Sadhu Sampardaye Society -- a
conglomerate of more than 50 Dalit deras of Punjab -on Tuesday
rejected out ight the newly founded Ravidassia Dharam". In a major
setback to Jalandhar-based Dera Sachkhand Ballan's directive to sever
ties with Sikhs, the Sri Guru Ravidas Sadhu Sampardaye Society -- a
conglomerate of more than 150 Dalit deras of Punjab -- on Tuesday
rejected outright the newly founded "Ravidassia Dharam".
While condemning Dera Sachkhand's attempt to create a new faith out of
the Ravidassia sect, the society also announced it would continue with
the practice of following the Sikh holy book, Guru Granth Sahib.
The society, at its executive committee meeting held at Dera Babe
Jore, situated near Dera Sachkhand Ballan here, unanimously termed the
"separate religion" announcement as an attempt at dividing the
communities.
Speaking in the presence of more than 30 dera heads, society president
Baba Nirmal Dass Jore Wale said: "The decision taken by the Dera
Ballan Trust cannot be imposed on the entire Ravidassia community. The
newly created scripture `Amritbani Satguru Ravidass Maharaj-ji' will
not be treated as a `granth'. Besides, no one consulted all
stakeholders in the matter before taking the decision."
"We condemn the killing of Dera Ballan's Sant Ramanand in Vienna last
year, but the Sikh community and Guru Granth Sahib cannot be blamed
for the cowardly act of a few people. We must not oppose the holy
book," the dera heads said.
"Guru Granth Sahib will not be removed from any gurdwara, while it
will be re-installed at Seer Goverdhanpur, the birthplace of Guru
Ravidas at Varanasi. The community should continue to follow the
centuries-old religious practice," Baba Nirmal Dass said.
The meeting noted that several members of the Dalit community had
sacrificed their lives to defend the philosophy of Guru Granth Sahib.
"Guru Ravidass' bani reached the masses on being incorporated in Guru
Granth Sahib," the meeting agreed.
The participants said the sign of "Har" was created by the society in
1974, and the greeting of "Jai Gurudev" was being used by Dalits since
more than 80 years. "We are not against any dera or religious figure,
but only against the vested interests of certain people who are
misusing the name of a dera," they said.
They also criticised the attempts of some elements to browbeat those
who had challenged the Dera Sachkhand directive, as with Samaj Bachao
Morcha convener Gian Chand.
Meanwhile, two Ravidassia gurdwaras have formally installed the newly
created holy book -- "Amritbani Satguru Ravidass Maharaj-ji" --
alongside Guru Granth Sahib.
Jagdish Jassal, a Dalit villager, said Chaheru-based Dera Phul Dass
chief Kishan Nath had installed the new scripture at the Ravidassia
gurdwara in Nangal Krar Khan village on Wednesday morning. The text
bearing Guru Ravidas `bani' was placed in a separate canopy next to
the existing Guru Granth Sahib. A police team was also rushed to the
village as a preventive measure.
Similarly, the new scripture was also placed at the Ravidassia
gurdwara in Dhadde village, though in a room separate from the one in
which Guru Granth Sahib is installed.
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