Ravidassia

Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth^[1] is a religion based on the teachings of Guru Ravidas. It was considered a sect within Sikhism until 2009.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[1] However, some Ravidassias continue to maintain Sikh religious practices, including the reverence of the Guru Granth Sahib as their focal religious text, wearing Sikh articles of faith (5Ks), and appending Singh or Kaur to their names.^[5]

Historically, Ravidassia represented a range of beliefs in the Indian subcontinent, with some devotees of Ravidass counting themselves as Ravidassia, but first formed in the early 20th-century in colonial British India.^[3] The Ravidassia tradition began to take on more cohesion following 1947, and the establishment of successful Ravidassia tradition in the diaspora.^[6] Estimates range between two and five million for the total number of Ravidassias.^[7]^[8]

Ravidassias Sikhs believe that Ravidas is their Guru (saint) whereas the Khalsa Sikhs have traditionally considered him one of many bhagats (holy person), a lower position to Guru in Sikhism.^[9] Further, Ravidassias Sikhs accept living sants of Ravidass Deras as Guru.^[10] A new Ravidassia religion was launched following an assassination attack on their visiting living Guru Niranjan Dass and his deputy Ramanand Dass in 2009 in Vienna by Sikh militants.^[1]^[11] Ramanand Dass died from the attack, Niranjan Dass survived his injuries, while over a dozen attendees at the temple were also injured.^[11] This triggered a decisive break of the Ravidassia group from the orthodox Sikh structure.^[10]^[1]

Prior to their break from Khalsa Sikhism, the Dera Bhallan revered and recited the Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhism in Dera Bhallan.^[12] However, following their split from mainstream Sikhism, the Dera Bhallan compiled their own holy book based exclusively on Ravidas's teachings, the Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji, and these Dera Bhallan Ravidassia temples now use this book in place of the Guru Granth Sahib.^[12]^[4]^[13]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Knut A. Jacobsen; Kristina Myrvold (1 November 2011). Sikhs in Europe: Migration, Identities and Representations. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 289–291. ISBN 978-1-4094-2434-5. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
^ Jan Gonda (1970). Visnuism and Sivaism: A Comparison. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-1-4742-8080-8.
^ ^a ^b Paramjit Judge (2014), Mapping Social Exclusion in India: Caste, Religion and Borderlands, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-1107056091, pages 179-182
^ ^a ^b "India's 'untouchables' declare own religion". CNN. 2010-02-03.
^ "What California's Ravidassia community believes and why they want caste bias outlawed | CityNews Toronto". toronto.citynews.ca. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
^ Gerald Parsons (1993). The Growth of Religious Diversity: Traditions. Psychology Press. pp. 227–. ISBN 978-0-415-08326-3. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
^ "Census 2021: Two Ravidassia factions want recognition as different religions". The Indian Express. 2020-07-19. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
^ forefeurope (2019-09-12). "The 'Untouchables' In Europe – 10 Years After the Murder of Their Saint". Foref Europe. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
^ Ronki Ram. "Ravidass, Dera Sachkhand Ballan and the Question of Dalit Identity in Punjab" (PDF). Panjab University, Chandigarh. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
^ ^a ^b Ronki Ram (2009). "Ravidass, Dera Sachkhand Ballan and the Question of Dalit Identity in Punjab" (PDF). Journal of Punjab Studies. 16 (1). Panjab University, Chandigarh. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
^ ^a ^b Inflamed passions, Ajoy A Mahaprashasta (2009), Frontline (The Hindu), Volume 26, Issue 12, Quote: "The riots were sparked off by an attack on Sant Niranjan Dass, the head of the Jalandhar-based Dera Sachkhand, and his deputy Rama Nand on May 24 at the Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara in Vienna where they had gone to attend a religious function. A group of Sikhs militants armed with firearms and swords attacked them at the gurdwara, injuring both; Rama Nand later died. The Austrian police said the attack that left some 15 others injured “had clearly been planned”."
^ ^a ^b "Punjab sect declares new religion". The Times of India. 2010-02-01. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11.
^ "New Punjab sect lays down code | Original Story | Taaza News". Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2011-12-03.

[JacobsenMyrvold2011-1] Knut A. Jacobsen; Kristina Myrvold (1 November 2011). Sikhs in Europe: Migration, Identities and Representations. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 289–291. ISBN 978-1-4094-2434-5. Retrieved 10 April 2012.

[2] Jan Gonda (1970). Visnuism and Sivaism: A Comparison. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-1-4742-8080-8.

[paramjitjudge181-3] Paramjit Judge (2014), Mapping Social Exclusion in India: Caste, Religion and Borderlands, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-1107056091, pages 179-182

[cnn12-4] "India's 'untouchables' declare own religion". CNN. 2010-02-03.

[5] "What California's Ravidassia community believes and why they want caste bias outlawed | CityNews Toronto". toronto.citynews.ca. Retrieved 2024-01-06.

[Parsons1993-6] Gerald Parsons (1993). The Growth of Religious Diversity: Traditions. Psychology Press. pp. 227–. ISBN 978-0-415-08326-3. Retrieved 10 April 2012.

[7] "Census 2021: Two Ravidassia factions want recognition as different religions". The Indian Express. 2020-07-19. Retrieved 2020-08-15.

[8] refeurope (2019-09-12). "The 'Untouchables' In Europe – 10 Years After the Murder of Their Saint". Foref Europe. Retrieved 2020-08-15.

[9] Ronki Ram. "Ravidass, Dera Sachkhand Ballan and the Question of Dalit Identity in Punjab" (PDF). Panjab University, Chandigarh. Retrieved 2013-12-05.

[ravidassiareligion1-10] Ronki Ram (2009). "Ravidass, Dera Sachkhand Ballan and the Question of Dalit Identity in Punjab" (PDF). Journal of Punjab Studies. 16 (1). Panjab University, Chandigarh. Retrieved 2013-12-05.

[fl2009-11] Inflamed passions, Ajoy A Mahaprashasta (2009), Frontline (The Hindu), Volume 26, Issue 12, Quote: "The riots were sparked off by an attack on Sant Niranjan Dass, the head of the Jalandhar-based Dera Sachkhand, and his deputy Rama Nand on May 24 at the Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara in Vienna where they had gone to attend a religious function. A group of Sikhs militants armed with firearms and swords attacked them at the gurdwara, injuring both; Rama Nand later died. The Austrian police said the attack that left some 15 others injured “had clearly been planned”."

[toinewreligion20102-12] "Punjab sect declares new religion". The Times of India. 2010-02-01. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11.

[13] "New Punjab sect lays down code | Original Story | Taaza News". Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2011-12-03.

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