FROM SIKH AMBIT TO SEPARATE RAVIDASSIA DHARAM
JALANDHAR: For decades since the dera was established in 1895 by Harnam Dass, a native of Bathinda’s Gill Patti village who came to be known as Sant Pipal Dass, its preaching was based on the Sikh holy book, Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Ravidass’s religious-reformatory verses are part of the Granth. Even up to the 1990s, some jathedars of Sikhism’s temporal seat Akal Takht, visited the dera at its headquarters in Ballan village near Jalandhar. But the transformation had started in the ’70s and ’80s with Dalits too turning nonresident Indians (NRIs) and sending in big donations. By the ’90s, during the period of Mandal Commission and heightened caste politics, the sect started concentrating primarily on Ravidass’ verses in the Guru Granth Sahib, and made these into its chants as well.
The chasm came out as clashes between the dera’s followers and Sikh communities broke out after the killing of dera preacher Ramanand Dass in Vienna. Soon after, the dera Guru Granth Sahib with ‘Amrit Bani: Satguru Ravidass Granth’ and founded the ‘Ravidassia Dharam’. Though many believe the separate religion has not managed any wholesale ‘conversion’ and many followers continue to identify as Sikh or even Hindu, this move did make the dera stand out.
TEMPLE MILESTONE
The announcement of the new religion was made by present sect head Niranjan Dass in January 2010 from the birthplace temple of Guru Ravidass in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. That temple is considered a physical milestone in the sect’s journey to its present-day stature and significance.
A delegation deputed by Sarwan Dass, the second gaddi-nashin (head) of the dera, had traced the birthplace; and the foundation was laid on June 14, 1965.
The construction took three decades, though. Completed in 1994, this temple was seen as having re-established the glory of Guru Ravidass. The temple is looked after by the Dera Ballan Trust, and is termed the Mukti Dham (salvation destination).