Not sure, if this community at this time is part of Sikh faith. The vast majority does not keep hair.Guru Ravidass sampradaye rejects separate religion
Dharmendra Joshi and Amaninder Pal
Tribune News Service
Raipur Rasulpur (Jalandhar), February 3
In a significant development, the Sri Guru Ravidass Sadhu Sampradaye Society, Punjab, has rejected the separate religion for the community declared by Dera Sachkhand Ballan at Seer Gowardhanpur in Banaras a few days back.
The president of the sampradaye, Sant Nirmal Dass, informed mediapersons soon after a brainstorming session of the representatives of different deras at Raipur Rasulpur village on Wednesday that the separate religion declared for the Ravidass community might be a personal decision of a particular trust.
Sant Nirmal Dass further said the matter of creation of a separate religion for the Ravidass community was not even discussed with the representatives of the Sant Samaj and other representatives of the community. “A single trust or Dera has no right to announce a separate religion for the entire community,” he added.
Going one step further, Sant Nirmal Dass said the already existing maryada at religious places of the Ravidass community should be continued instead of adopting the new one announced by Dera Ballan.
Sant Nirmal Dass said Guru Granth Sahib should again be placed at those religious places of the Ravidass community where Amrit Bani Guru Ravidass had been placed after the declaration of the new religion.
Earlier SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar also reportedly held parleys with several representatives of the Ravidass community in view of the recent developments during his visit to Jalandhar on Wednesday.
Varinder Singh adds from Amritsar: The Sri Guru Ravidas Sadhu Sampardaye Society and Sant Samaj Bachao Morcha have asserted that they will continue to hold Parkash of Guru Granth Sahib in gurdwaras related to Guru Ravidass.
On the other hand, the SGPC chief Avtar Singh has appealed to the Ravidassia community to ignore any appeals seeking severing of relations by members of the Ravidassia community with the Sikhs.
“Since Guru Arjan Dev had included the baani of Guru Ravidass in Guru Granth Sahib, the entire Sikh world holds his bani parallel to that of the other Sikh Gurus. The Ravidassia community should ignore any appeals to divide the two communities,” said Avtar Singh after holding a meeting with leaders of the Sri Guru Ravidass Sadhu Sampardaye Society and Sant Samaj Bachao Morcha.
The SGPC chief and leaders of the Ravidassia community held serious discussions here today as to how to prevent any further rift between the two communities.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥