Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday visited a temple dedicated to Dalit icon Guru Ravidas in Central Delhi’s Karol Bagh area and participated in the ‘Shabad Kirtan’ on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti.
According to the management of the Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham temple, the prime minister spent 15-20 minutes at the temple dedicated to the Bhakti movement poet-saint. After offering his prayer, he also participated in the ‘Shabad Kirtan’ with women devotees and interacted with others.
“We met the PM on Tuesday and invited him to the temple on the occasion of Guru Ravidas Jayanti. He accepted our invitation and celebrated this auspicious day with us. He is also the first PM to visit this temple. No CM or PM visited this historic temple till date,” said Gopal Krishan, president of the Guru Ravidas Dham temple.
Modi also left a note in the visitor’s book of the temple. “Mahan Sant Guru Ravidas ji ki jayanti ke avsar par unki is paavan sthali par sheesh jhukane ka saubhagya prapt hua. Aaj ke is vishesh din unka aashirwad prapt kar krutharth hua. Jaat paat chhua-chhut jaisi kuprathaon ko samaj se dur karne k liye samarpit unka jeevan hum sab ke liye prernadayi hai. (I have had the good fortune to bow my head at the holy place dedicated to Guru Ravidas ji on his birth anniversary…Sant Guru Ravidas ji, who gave his life and fought against casteism and untouchability all his life, is an inspiration to all of us),” read the note written by the prime minister.
He added in his note, “I pray to him for the good health and welfare of our country and its people. I vow to continue serving the country by following his principles and teachings.”
After his visit, PM Modi also posted a series of pictures and a video of him at the Guru Ravidas Temple and said in one of his tweets, “Very special moments at the Shri Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir in Delhi.”
Very special moments at the Shri Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/PM2k0LxpBg
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 16, 2022
Kishan, the temple’s president, said the PM visits the Guru Ravidas Temple in Varanasi every year, but since he could not go this time he decided to offer his prayers at the Karol Bagh temple. He added that the temple management has been facing a pending land issue since 1984 and the PM promised to get it resolved at the earliest.
Bijender Kumar, the temple’s general secretary, said, “We are happy that PM offered his prayers here on this auspicious day today. His visit has popularised the name of this ancient temple and more people will now visit this place.”