Kejriwal pays tribute to Tulsidas on his Jayanti
Synopsis
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on 19 August 2026 offered 'crores of salutations' to Goswami Tulsidas on his Jayanti, honouring the 16th-century poet-saint who composed the Ramcharitmanas and brought Sanatan Dharma to the common people through Awadhi verse.
Key Takeaways
Arvind Kejriwal posted a tribute to Goswami Tulsidas on his Jayanti on 19 August 2026 .
Kejriwal described Tulsidas as the composer of the Ramcharitmanas and a figure who spread the greatness of Sanatan Dharma to every person.
Goswami Tulsidas, believed to have lived from 1532 to 1623 , wrote the Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi , making the Ramayana accessible beyond Sanskrit-literate audiences.
Tulsidas Jayanti falls on Saptami of Shravan Shukla Paksha in the Hindu calendar.
The Ramcharitmanas remains one of the most widely recited texts across North India .
On the birth anniversary of one of India's most revered poet-saints, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday, 19 August 2026 offered his respects to Goswami Tulsidas, the 16th-century sage whose verses reshaped the spiritual landscape of an entire civilisation.
Kejriwal wrote, in Hindi: 'श्री रामचरितमानस जैसे महाकाव्य के रचयिता... गोस्वामी तुलसीदास जी की जयंती पर उन्हें कोटि-कोटि नमन।' — 'Crores of salutations to Goswami Tulsidas on his Jayanti — the composer of the epic Ramcharitmanas, who carried the greatness of Sanatan Dharma to every person through his works.'
Goswami Tulsidas, believed to have lived from 1532 to 1623, composed the Ramcharitmanas — a retelling of the Valmiki Ramayana in the Awadhi dialect of Hindi. That choice was radical for its era: Sanskrit was the language of scripture and scholarship, but Tulsidas wrote for the common people, making the story of Lord Ram accessible to millions who had never read a Sanskrit text. The Ramcharitmanas remains among the most widely read and recited texts in the Hindi-speaking world, its verses embedded in daily prayer, folk music, and public discourse across North India.
Tulsidas Jayanti is observed on the Saptami (seventh day) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Shravan according to the Hindu calendar. Tributes from public figures across the political spectrum are customary on this day, reflecting the saint-poet's standing above partisan lines as a foundational voice of Bhakti literature.
Point of View
But it sits within a broader pattern of AAP positioning itself as culturally rooted in Sanatan tradition — a deliberate counter to the narrative that the party is indifferent to Hindu religious sentiment. For a leader who has leaned into temple visits and religious symbolism since the 2022 Punjab campaign, such posts are part of a consistent outreach playbook. The Ramcharitmanas, with its mass following in the Hindi belt, is particularly potent symbolic ground. Whether it moves voters is another question — but the intent to occupy that space is unmistakable.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Tulsidas Jayanti celebrated?
Tulsidas Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of Goswami Tulsidas , the 16th-century poet-saint who composed the Ramcharitmanas . It is observed on the Saptami of Shravan Shukla Paksha each year and is widely commemorated across North India with recitations and tributes.
What did Arvind Kejriwal say on Tulsidas Jayanti 2026?
Arvind Kejriwal offered 'crores of salutations' ( koti-koti naman ) to Goswami Tulsidas, calling him the composer of the Ramcharitmanas and a figure who spread the greatness of Sanatan Dharma to every person through his works.
What is the Ramcharitmanas?
The Ramcharitmanas is an epic poem composed by Goswami Tulsidas in the Awadhi dialect of Hindi, retelling the story of Lord Ram. Written in the 16th century, it brought the Ramayana to ordinary people who could not access Sanskrit texts and remains one of the most recited scriptures in the Hindi-speaking world.
When did Goswami Tulsidas live?
Goswami Tulsidas is believed to have lived from approximately 1532 to 1623 , making him a key figure of the Bhakti movement in medieval India.
Why do politicians pay tribute on Tulsidas Jayanti?
Tulsidas holds a place above partisan lines as a foundational voice of Indian devotional literature. His Ramcharitmanas is deeply embedded in the cultural and religious life of North India , making tributes on his Jayanti a near-universal gesture among public figures seeking to connect with that heritage.
