Guru Ravidass, one of the most celebrated untouchable sages of the 15th-16th century, is known as... more Guru Ravidass, one of the most celebrated untouchable sages of the 15th-16th century, is known as a leading star of the bhakti movement, especially the nirguna sampradaya or sant parampara (sect or tradition of devotees of a formless God) of the later medieval centuries in Northern India. He was a cobbler, sage, philosopher and social reformer, all rolled into one, who coined bhakti (devotion of non-anthropomorphic God) as a method of social protest against the centuries old oppressive system of social hierarchies and inhuman practice of untouchabilitybased on low-caste birth. As with all low-castes, he too fell victim to such all sorts of pernicious social restrictions and practices emanating from Hindu Chatur-Varnavyavastha. It was owning to such socio-religious practices that despite his being a Hindu, Guru Ravidass, because of his low-caste birth, was not allowed to take a dip in the holy water of river Ganga at his home town of Banaras (Varanasi). Moreover, being a low-caste Hindu, Guru Ravidass was also not allowed to perform the conventional form of bhakti of Hindu Gods/Goddesses. His most refereed hymn, Naam Tero Aarti Majan Murare, Hari Ke Naam bin Jhuthe Sagal pasaare, not only alludes to such social exclusionary practices and unravels their inner hollowness, but also articulates a voice of revolt against them. He dubbed all brahminical rituals and religious ceremonies as Jhuthe Sagal pasaare (fake activities). Guru Ravidass refused to surrender before such oppressive social structures. To move upward on social hierarchy, he did not discard the religion he was born into, nor abandon his so-called 'polluted' hereditary occupation of making and mending shoes. He devised a new form of bhakti based on deep faith in nirakar (formless) God and continuation of his hereditary leather-work. This unique middle pathfree from religious rituals and sectarian formalities, and dignity of labourwas novel and daring given the rampant religious bigotry of his time.
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