Philosophy
Guru Ravidas Ji emerged as one of the prime movers of the ‘Bhakti Movement’, that aimed to reform society through the preaching of ‘Bhakti (devotion) to God’ and the unity of man. Hailed as the liberator of the common man, Guru Ravidas Ji represented the voice of the suppressed and non-privileged. He was a chamar by birth – a cobbler one among the untouchables. This brought him in direct conflict with the upper caste Brahmin clergy, who feeling their religious authority threatened constantly challenged and persecuted him to no avail.
Guru Ravidas’s principle teaching was that he who worships God becomes a man of God. High and low castes are meaningless and absurd. All are equal and everyone should enjoy the fruits of equality and fraternity and can aspire for spiritual attainment. He brought self respect and prestige to the humblest, and fought relentlessly against the unjust and cruel caste system.
Today, we all are inspired by His philosophy which encourages us to help those in need, worship God, lead our life with dignity and work towards a fair and just society.
