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History of Stichting Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Nederland

Ravidassia Dharam After the martyrdom of Sant Rama Nand Ji entire Ravidassia community was agitated. They felt leaderless. For many years there was urge of Ravidassia community for a separate identity. Sant Rama Nand Ji had already pointed out in his speech delivered in the House of Commons, U.K on 28-03-2007 as below; “Now worldwide there is strong urge among Guru Ji’s followers of establishing a separate identity of their own. But the pre-requisites for any people to establish a separate identity are-(i) Common Name, (ii) Common Guru, (ii) Common Place of Pilgrimage, (iv) Common Religious Book, (v) Common Religious Symbol and a (vi) Common method of Salutation. It is for the intellectuals, thinkers and various religious institutions to debate over these issues and take a well considered decision. The earlier it is done, better it will be for the community.” Now the slogan of separate identity was on everybody’s tongue. All had focused their eyes on Dera Sach Khand Bal. All the Sant Samaj was contacted by the Dera. Sant Surinder Dass Bawa Ji played a leading role in introducing separate religion and separate religious book. The Sant Samaj decided to launch Ravidassia Dharam and instal ‘Amrit Bani Satguru Ravidass Maharaj Ji’ as religious book. Accordingly, Ravidassia Dharam, ‘Amrit Bani Satguru Ravidass Maharaj Ji’ and Qaumi Nishaan HAR(i) were announced on 30th January 2010 in the presence of more than ten lakhs of devotees, from India and abroad, on the auspicious occasion of 633rd Guru Ravidass Jyanti Day at Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Mandir, Seer Govardhanpur, Varanasi. The entire Ravidassia community in India and abroad have welcomed the announcement of Ravidassia Religion and ‘Amrit Bani Satguru Ravidass Maharaj Ji’. All are thankful to the Sant Samaj for taking this historic decision. Liberty and dignity of Ravidassia qaum lies in Ravidassia Religion. Let us all follow our own religion in its true spirit.

Life of Shri Guru Ravidas Maharaj Ji

It is said that the merciful CREATOR of the world never neglects HIS CREATION, and continually sends HIS MESSENGERS to the world on missions of mercy to save HIS seekers and devotees. These Messengers, carrying the message from the ALMIGHTY GOD, come in the form of Saints and Mystics, impart the message of love and devotion for GOD, and take their disciples and devotees back to the ALMIGHTY Lord. Guru Ravidass ji (Ravi=Sun) was such a MESSENGER who came to this world from the ALMIGHTY GOD in the year 1471 of the Vikram era (1414 A.D.) on the Full-Moon (Puran Mashi) day of the month Magh, which was a Sunday. In the village of Seer Goberdhanpur, Kanshi, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, Northern State of India. This is the traditionally celebrated birthday of Guru Ravidass ji among the adherents of his religion. Guru Ravidass ji mother's name was Mata Kalsi and father's name was Baba Santokh Dass ji, who was working as a Sarpanch (clan leader), in the Kingdom of Raja Nagar Mal.

It is said that it was God himself, in the guise of a holy man, had come either to relieve Guru Ravidass ji of his poverty or to test his contentment. Guru Ravidass ji's attitude in this regard is well expressed in the following verses:

Not the slightest liking have I for the philosopher's stone, it causes entanglement in the world. Giving up all craving, I fix my mind in the holy feet of the Lord alone, says Guru Ravidass ji. If thou aspirest to the highest bless, then contentment in mind thou must inculcate. Where there is contentment, no blemish can stand, says Guru Ravidass ji.

True happiness lies in realizing true holiness, no happiness is there in accumulating wealth. The accumulation of wealth is a storehouse of miseries, realize this fact in thy mind, O Guru Ravidass.

For Guru Ravidass ji, the Real Philosopher's stone is the Name of God, which transforms Sinners into Saints, and makes Mortals Immortal. As Guruji puts it:

How Can Iron (Human Life) be transformed into Gold,
If the Philosopher's stone touched it not?
Men understand not, sayeth Guru Ravidass.
Like mad men they have lost their way.
God's Name alone is my Support,
It alone is my Life, my Vital-Breath and Wealth

Guru Ravidass ji's fame as a Devotee of God enraged the Brahmins of Kanshi. It is evident that Guruji met with frequent opposition from the priestly classes. Yet Guruji had a tremendous impact on the Society. Having been born in a low-caste family, Guru Ravidass ji was looked down upon by the Brahmins who considered him unqualified for practising devotion to God. For a low-caste Cobbler to Preach and Practice Holiness was a sacrilege in their eyes.

Dera Sach Khand Ballan

Emergence of Dera Sant Sarwan Dass Ji Sach Khand Bal
&
A great spiritual saint:
Sant Pipal Dass Ji

Satguru Ravidass Ji has said that there is no difference between saints and Almighty. Saints bless the astrayed people with NAM-simran. Among such saints, there was one highly spiritually enlightened saint named Shri 108 Sant Pipal Dass Ji Maharaj. He was born in village Gill Patti in Bathinda district. His grandfather had decided to settle permanently at Gill Patti after shifting from Kuttiwala and Joganand villages. Sant Pipal Dass Ji’s earlier name was Shri Harnam Dass Ji. The parents of Sant Pipal Dass Ji were religious minded and Shri Pipal Dass Ji used to chant NAM of God under peepal tree sitting in solitude. The villagers had deep regard for him. He took up farming of his land. He received education in Gurmukhi. He was a very good scholar of Punjabi and Amrit Bani. He used to read the books which contained apathetic and renunciatory themes. He was very fond of tree planting. The beri tree planted by him still exists in the village Gill Patti. He was married to Bibi Shobhawanti who was a religious minded lady. He was blessed with NAM by Sant Mohan Dass Ji.

They had two sons. The eldest son was ri Sewa Dass Ji and younger was Sarwan Dass Ji. Sarwan Dass was five year old when his mother Bibi Shobhawanti died. Sant Pipal Dass Ji was very sad. After some time he left Gill Patti village assigning the duty of farming to his eldest son Sewa Dass Ji. By travelling though various towns and villages, Sant Pipal Dass Ji ultimately, reached village Bal. However, he decided to settle at village Ballan in Jalandhar district. The scenic beauty and natural surroundings and dake trees of village Bal tempted Sant Pipal Dass Ji. He decided to settle there. Moreover, the residents of the village showed utmost regard to Sant Ji. After some days Sant Pipal Dass Ji left for Singriwal village along with Sarwan Dass Ji to bless NAM to the sangat there and to meet Shri Kaloo Ram Ji. But Sant Sarwan Dass Ji asked his father that he had been feeling sad and depressed, so please take him back to village Ballan. Both came back and the residents showed them great respect and offered a mud house for their permanent stay there. Here Pipal Dass Ji continued worshipping Almighty and read out teachings and amritbani of Satguru Ravidass Ji to the sangat every morning and evening. There was one peepal tree in the village which was totally dried up. The sangat of the village requested Sant Pipal Dass Ji to make it green again so that the people might sit under its shade in the summer. However, Sant Pipal Dass Ji watered the tree and it became green in course of time. This incident changed the name from Shri Harnam Dass Ji to Sant Pipal Dass Ji. Mark juergens Meyer in his religious book “Religious rebels in Punjab” had beautifully described as under.

Shri 108 Sant Baba Pipal Dass Ji

“Sant Pipal Dass established the Dera at that location, near village Ballan, around the turn of century while wandering in search of truth. When he encountered the place, he found a peepal tree which appeared to be dead, but after he watered it, it sprang back to life. Pipal Dass understood this as a clear indication that truth was to be obtained on that spot, so he solicited nearby villagers to donate the land and began constructing his Dera. It soon became the centre of pilgrimage for lower castes and other villagers from all over central Punjab and from its inception it was a center for the veneration of Guru Ravidass.”

It was a worshipping place for the devotees of Ravidass Ji Maharaj, Sant Pipal Dass Ji used to meditate in the west of the village Ballan along with Sarwan Dass Ji during the day in solitude SachKhand Ballan has come up at this place. A school was also started at Ballan Dera where Punjabi and Amrit Bani was taught to children. They were taught the life and mission of Satguru Ravidass Ji. The sangat brought food for him. Sant Ji preached to abstain from intoxicants, not to believe in rituals and superstitions and to respect parents.. When a great social reformer Babu Mangoo Ram Moogowalia was struggling for the establishment of Ad- Dharam and collecting the historical data of Maharishi Balmik Ji, Satguru Namdev Ji, Satguru Ravidass Ji and Satguru Kabir Ji, he came to meet Baba Pipal Dass Ji collecting literature on teachings and writings of Satguru Ravidass Ji Maharaj.

The word spoken by a Sadhu is always truthful. Whatever Sant Pipal Dass Ji uttered proved to by true. Once Sant Pipal Dass Ji visited the house of Baba Shami Ram Ji. He took pity on their poor financial condition. He told him that they get out the required grain from the kothi and it will remain full. He also asked them not to check up that the kothi is still full or not. They took out grain from the kothi for 13 months to see whether it is still full. To their amazement the kothi was still full of grain. But thereafter the kothi became empty as the grain was taken out from it.

Sant Pipal Dass Ji visited Arjanwal village to the house of Shri Waryama Ram. His wife requested Sant Ji that she had no child and her mother-in-law always taunted her and threatened her to compel her to leave the house. Baba Pipal Dass solaced her and told her that she would be blessed with five sons and truly, five sons were born to her including Giani Joginder Singh Ji.

One day when Sant Pipal Dass was going to the village Bal to have some offerings from residents. He was in his own spiritual mood. He stopped in front of the house of Namberdar Piara Singh for alms. Smt. Mohan Kaur w/o Namberdar Piara Singh offered the offering to Sant Ji and politely requested that you were pride of the lowly, shelter for the poor and hope for the hopeless. There was no dearth of anything in my house but I have no child kindly bless me with this gift. Sant Pipal Dass Ji was moved by the request of Mohan Kaur and told her that in due course of time Almighty would bless her with five sons and advised her and her husband to worship NAM daily. Baba Ji came back to Dera. Truly after gap of some years five sons and a daughter were born to her and all the children were very nice having good manners. The entire family always praised all the saints of Dera Sach Khand Ballan. Shri Wattan Singh and Bibi Kesari Devi were living in Muradpur village and after some time shifted to Alawalpur in Jalandhar district. Whenever Baba Pipal Dass Ji visited their residence, he always asked them to prepare saltish chapaties. When once Baba Ji went to their Muradpur house both Bibi Kesari and Wattan Singh humbly requested Baba Ji that they had no child and politely submitted that he should bless the couple with the gift of a son. At this Baba Ji asked the couple to solve five sweet patasas in water and then knead the flour with that water and prepare the food. They did so and prepared the sweet food for Sant Pipal Dass Ji which he took gladly and thereafter told the couple that Almighty will bless them with the gift of four children. Truly four sons were born to the couple. And doing such kind and munificent acts to the needy and poor, the great saint Baba Pipal Dass Ji left for his heavenly abode on Thursday, first Navrata, in 1928, to be one with the Almighty. The poet Tota Ram had rightly written-

Jeewan ke udharne ko paapian de taarne ko
Moorakh sudharne ko aaye sansar si
Bachan raseele tap tej de hatheele
Vishe paanch jin keele shiv shankar murar si
Unni sau pachasi bikrami si maheena assu
Chhabbi din gaye chhad ditti gulzar si
Veerwar din pherr time vi swer wala
Poorva nachhattara mein pujje mokh dwar si.

Baba Pipal Dass Ji was cremated towards east of village Ballan where the Smadh Angitha was erected. In the Dera Sach Khand Ballan, a room having minaret on its top is dedicated to the memory of the great spiritually enlightened saint. He left very rich legacy to his saintly son Sarwan Dass Ji who later established the Dera. The Dera is symbolic of spiritual highness and noble values. His Barsi is celebrated on first Naurtatra by holding Bhandara, satsang and hoisting of Dera Nishaan Sahib.