President Droupadi Murmu led the nation in paying tributes to Guru Ravidas on the occasion of his birth anniversary, emphasizing the need to embrace his teachings of equality, social justice, and unity. On Wednesday, she extended her heartfelt greetings to citizens and urged them to imbibe the revered saint’s principles in their lives. Guru Ravidas, a towering figure of the Bhakti movement during the 15th and 16th centuries, remains a beacon of devotion, service, and social harmony.
Taking to social media platform X, President Droupadi Murmu remarked, “On the auspicious occasion of Guru Ravidas Jayanti, I extend my best wishes to all the countrymen. Saint Ravidas made service to humanity his goal. He remained dedicated to eradicating discrimination on the basis of religion and caste and bringing unity in society. Let us adopt the teachings of Guru Ravidas ji and continue to contribute towards building a prosperous and developed nation.”
Several prominent leaders also paid tributes to the spiritual luminary. Union home minister Amit Shah lauded Guru Ravidas for his role in social reform and upliftment of the marginalized, stating, “Tribute to the great social reformer and poet, Sant Shiromani Ravidas ji on his birth anniversary. Pujya Ravidas ji gave the message of social unity and brotherhood through his poems and hymns in the Bhakti movement. His teachings, dedicated to the upliftment of the oppressed and deprived classes, are exemplary for all.” BJP national president J.P. Nadda echoed similar sentiments, acknowledging Guru Ravidas’s contributions towards establishing social harmony. “I pay my heartfelt tributes to Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidas ji on his birth anniversary, who considered karma as supreme and showed the path of equality in society for the upliftment of all. His teachings, giving the message of social harmony, are still exemplary for unity, goodwill, and character building,” he posted on social media.
To mark the occasion, multiple states across the country have declared public holidays. Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand announced state-wide holidays, while the Delhi government also issued an official notification granting a holiday for government employees, autonomous bodies, and public sector undertakings. In Punjab and Haryana, government offices and schools in cities such as Chandigarh, Mohali, Gurugram, and Faridabad remained closed in observance of the day. In Uttarakhand, the government declared a holiday for all state institutions, with the exception of the secretariat and treasury. Additionally, the state organized cleanliness drives and adorned statues of Guru Ravidas as a mark of respect.
The revered saint’s legacy continues to inspire generations, promoting the ideals of unity and equality, which remain crucial in contemporary society.
