A saint who preached radical equality in the 15th century is about to reach every corner of rural Punjab — and the state government is making it happen on wheels. The Chief Minister's Office of Punjab announced on Tuesday, 11 August 2026 that preparations are underway for a grand observance of Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj's 650th Prakash Purab, with special vans set to carry his life and message to approximately 13,000 villages across the state.

Vans, villages, and a ₹100 crore outreach

The post, shared in Punjabi, states: 'ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜੀ ਮਹਾਰਾਜ ਦੇ 650ਵੇਂ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਪੁਰਬ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਰਪਿਤ...' — announcing that the Punjab Government has begun preparations for events dedicated to the 650th Prakash Purab. A budget of approximately ₹100 crore has been earmarked, with mobile outreach vans tasked to visit nearly 13,000 villages to familiarise residents with the life and teachings of Sri Guru Sahib.

The scale is striking. Punjab has roughly 13,000 inhabited villages, meaning this campaign is designed to leave virtually no rural settlement untouched. The vans are conceived as moving classrooms — bringing devotional and social content directly to communities that may not travel to urban observance events.

Who was Guru Ravidas — and why the 650th matters

Sri Guru Ravidas Ji, the 15th-century saint-poet and social reformer, is among the most revered figures in Punjab's spiritual landscape, particularly for the Ravidasia community. His verses, which appear in the Guru Granth Sahib, articulate a vision of a casteless, egalitarian society — a message the Punjab government is explicitly choosing to amplify through this campaign. The 650th Prakash Purab marks a generational milestone, lending this year's observance unusual weight.

Bhagwant Mann government's rural outreach pattern

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in office since March 2022, has deployed mobile outreach as a recurring tool for rural engagement. Punjab administrations across parties have periodically organised state-supported Prakash Purab celebrations, but anchoring one to a village-by-village van campaign at this scale represents a visible escalation in ambition. The Ravidasia community is a significant demographic constituency in the state, concentrated particularly in the Doaba region.

Details of the main ceremonial events and the precise rollout timeline for the van programme are expected to be announced closer to the anniversary date. What is already clear is that the government intends this to be felt in the fields and lanes of Punjab — not just on a stage.