BJP launches Samarasata Sankalp Abhiyan to mark Guru Ravidas 650th birth anniversary
Synopsis
The BJP is turning Guru Ravidas's 650th birth anniversary into a seven-month national mobilisation — 131 sacred kalash, 21,000 stops, 51,000 lamp-lit temples, and a Jalandhar-to-Varanasi yatra. It is the most expansive single-saint commemoration a major Indian political party has mounted, and it runs straight through to February 2027.
Key Takeaways
The BJP announced the Samarasata Sankalp Abhiyan on 27 July 2026 , running from 29 July 2026 to 20 February 2027 .
The campaign marks the 650th birth anniversary (Prakat Utsav) of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji .
131 sacred kalash carrying soil from Varanasi will travel to 21,000 locations by 10 September 2026 .
A Deepotsav will be held at 51,000 temples , including a grand lamp display at Varanasi's Ganga Ghat .
A major yatra from Jalandhar to Varanasi is planned for 5 October – 5 November 2026 .
PM Narendra Modi has already named Adampur Airport after the saint and ordered reconstruction of the Tughlaqabad temple in Delhi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 27 July 2026 announced a nationwide campaign — Sant Shiromani Shri Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj Samarasata Sankalp Abhiyan (Social Harmony Pledge Campaign) — to commemorate the 650th birth anniversary (Prakat Utsav) of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji. The campaign will run from 29 July 2026 to 20 February 2027, carrying the saint's message of social harmony, equality, and public awakening to every village across India.
What the Campaign Aims to Achieve
BJP National General Secretaries Tarun Chugh and Dushyant Kumar Gautam outlined the campaign's objectives at the party's central office in New Delhi. Gautam emphasised that the BJP has consistently sought to honour personalities who shaped India's cultural and social fabric. He noted that Sant Guru Ravidas was born in Seer Govardhan village, Varanasi, and attained spiritual liberation at Chittorgarh Fort.
Living through an era of forced religious conversions and widespread social distress, the saint — alongside other luminaries of the Bhakti movement — spread cultural values through regional languages. Kabir Das is said to have conferred upon him the title of 'Sant Shiromani'. Notably, 41 of his hymns are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, and his disciples included Mirabai and several rulers of his time.
Key Teachings at the Heart of the Campaign
Gautam highlighted two pillars of Guru Ravidas's philosophy that the campaign seeks to amplify: the celebrated saying 'Man changa toh kathauti mein Ganga' (If the mind is pure, the Ganga resides in the humble water-trough), and his vision of Begumpura — a casteless, sorrow-free society where people of all stations live as equals. These teachings, the BJP argued, are as relevant to contemporary India as they were six centuries ago.
Phase-wise Rollout Across the Country
Chugh announced that the campaign will formally begin on Guru Purnima, 29 July, with the flagging-off of 131 sacred kalash carrying soil from the saint's birthplace in Varanasi. These vessels will travel to 21,000 locations across the country by 10 September, accompanied by processions, aarti, and puja. A Deepotsav — a lighting of earthen lamps — will be held at 51,000 temples nationwide, with a grand display planned at Varanasi's Ganga Ghat.
Subsequent phases will include outreach to saints and religious leaders, a major yatra (religious procession) from Jalandhar to Varanasi running from 5 October to 5 November, and programmes in schools and hostels. A fourth phase will organise processions from every village in the country, encouraging devotees to visit the saint's birthplace in Varanasi. Five key sites associated with Guru Ravidas's life are also slated for development.
Government Initiatives Already Underway
Gautam listed several steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in honour of the saint, including the naming of Adampur Airport after Guru Ravidas, the launch of a dedicated special train, temple development at multiple sites, establishment of a research centre in Sagar, and the reconstruction of the Tughlaqabad temple in Delhi. The campaign is designed to build on this institutional recognition with a grassroots outreach effort spanning the entire country.
With the 650th Prakat Utsav as its culmination in early 2027, the BJP's campaign represents one of the most extensive single-saint commemorations undertaken by a political party in recent Indian history.
Point of View
Punjab, and Rajasthan, all states where the BJP faces competitive pressure. By anchoring the campaign in Varanasi and routing the yatra through Jalandhar — heartland of Ravidassia communities — the party is making a calculated outreach to a constituency that has historically oscillated between the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party. The invocation of Begumpura, the saint's vision of a casteless society, sits in some tension with the BJP's own record on caste equity, a contradiction that critics are unlikely to let pass. Whether the campaign translates into durable community goodwill or remains a mobilisation exercise will depend on the follow-through on the five promised site developments.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BJP's Samarasata Sankalp Abhiyan?
It is a nationwide social harmony campaign launched by the BJP to mark the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji, running from 29 July 2026 to 20 February 2027. The campaign aims to carry the saint's message of equality and social harmony to every village in India through processions, temple events, school programmes, and a major religious yatra.
When and where does the campaign begin?
The campaign begins on Guru Purnima, 29 July 2026, with the flagging-off of 131 sacred kalash containing soil from the saint's birthplace in Varanasi. These kalash will travel to 21,000 locations across the country by 10 September 2026.
What is the Jalandhar to Varanasi yatra?
A major religious procession (yatra) is planned from Jalandhar to Varanasi between 5 October and 5 November 2026 as part of the campaign's second phase. The route connects two cities deeply associated with the Guru Ravidas tradition and Ravidassia communities.
Who was Sant Guru Ravidas, and why is the 650th anniversary significant?
Sant Guru Ravidas was a 15th-century Bhakti movement saint born in Seer Govardhan village, Varanasi, known for his teachings on social equality and his vision of Begumpura — a casteless, sorrow-free society. The 650th birth anniversary (Prakat Utsav) in 2027 is a milestone the BJP is marking with a seven-month national outreach campaign, reflecting the saint's enduring influence across communities in north and west India.
What government initiatives has PM Modi taken for Sant Guru Ravidas?
According to BJP leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has named Adampur Airport after Sant Guru Ravidas, launched a dedicated special train, supported temple development at multiple sites, established a research centre in Sagar, and ordered reconstruction of the Tughlaqabad temple in Delhi.
