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Ramdev Pir

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Ramdevji
Ruler of Runicha
SuccessorAjmal ji
Burial
Ramdevra
HouseTomar Rajput ancestry
FatherAjmal ji
MotherMainade
ReligionHindu

Ramdevji ( or Ramdev Pir, Ramsha Pir[1]) (1352 - 1385 AD)(V.S. 1409 - 1442) is a Hindu folk–deity of Rajasthan in India. He was a Rajput ruler of the fourteenth century, said to have miraculous powers who devoted his life for the upliftment of downtrodden and poor people of the society, and revivalism of Hinduism which were marginalized by invaders. He is worshiped today by many social groups of India as Ishta-deva.[2][3]

Baba Ramdevpir

Temple of Ramdevji

The temple complex housing Samadhi of Ramdevji is loacted at Ramdevra, (10 km from Pokhran) in Rajasthan. The present temple structure was built around Ramdevji's final resting place by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner in the year 1931.

The complex also houses Samadhis of his disciples like Dalibai and some other of his chief disciples. The complex also houses the tombs of five Muslim Pirs, who had came from Mecca.[4]

The complex also houses a step-well, the water of which devotees believe has healing powers.

The Story of King Ajmal

As per folk-lore, King Ajmal Tanwar was the king of Pokaran. His wife, Rani Mainade, was the daughter of the king of Jaisalmer. After becoming King of Pokran, King Ajmalji had only three daughters, Lasa, Laxmi and Sugana. One day the king was on a tour of his kingdom. It was monsoon, yet the kingdom had not received any rainfall. On his tour, the king met a few farmers who were on their way to their farms to sow seeds. On seeing the king, they began to return back to their homes. Surprised at this act, the king asked farmers the reason for their behaviour. When assured that no harm would come to them if they told the truth, the farmers told the king that they believed that seeing a barren king's face while on their way to their fields may cause their crops to fail, and therefore they wanted to return to their homes. King Ajmal was very sad on hearing this. Being a devotee of Shri Krishna, the king decided to go to the Lord's palace in Dwarika.

King Ajmal arrived at Dwarika and prayed for many days. Ultimately, in sheer disappointment, he asked Krisna's idol the reason for deserving such sorrow. The idol did not respond to the king's repeated queries. Angered and raged at this, the king threw a dried laddu at the head of the idol. The priest of the temple, considering the king to be mad, asked the king to go to the mystic Dwarika to speak to the Lord. The mystic Dwarika swallowed by the sea many centuries ago, lay at the bed of the Arabian sea. The unfearing king dived into the sea to meet the Lord. Pleased at the king's dedication and faith, the Lord granted him a boon. The king asked for Lord Krishna to be born as his son. The Lord promised to take birth in the king's house. Soon thereafter, the royal couple gave birth to boy, whom they named, Ramdev. [5]

About Ramdevji

Ramdevji is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Krishna. As mentioned above, King Ajamal (Ajaishinh) married Queen Minaldevi, the daughter of Pamji Bhati of Chhahan Baru village. The childless king went to Dwarika and pleaded with the Lord about his wish to have child like him. They had two sons, Viramdev and the younger Ramdev. Baba Ramdev was born on Bhadava Shukla dooj in V.S. 1409 at a place called Pokharan. Ramdevji was a Tanwar .[6] He is also considered by some to be the 72nd descendant of the Pandav King Arjun.[citation needed]

Netalde with Ramdev Ji was married. The Amarkot was the daughter of the King Ralji Sodha.

Muslims venerate Shri Ramdevji as 'Ramshah Pir'. He was said to have had miraculous powers, and his fame reached far and wide. Legend has it that five Pirs from Mecca came to test Ramdevji's powers. Ramdevji after initial welcoming requested them to have lunch with him. But Pirs said they eat in their personal utensils, which are lying in Mecca, so they cannot have their meals. On this Ramdevji smiled and said look your utensils are coming and they saw that their eating bowls were coming flying in air from Mecca. After being convinced of his abilities and powers, they paid their homage to him and named him Rama Shah Peer. Since then he is venerated by Muslims also as Ram Shah Pir or Rama Peer.[1][4][7][8] The five Pirs, who came to test his powers, were so overwhelmed by his powers that they decided to stay with him and the Samadhis of these five are also near the Samadhi of Ramdevji.[4]

In Rajasthan, Meghwal community's chief deity is Baba Ramdevji who is worshiped during the Vedwa Punam (August - September). Meghwal community's religious leader Swami Gokuldas claims that Ramdev was himself a Meghwal in his 1982 book Meghwal Itehas, which constructs a history of the Meghwal community.[9] However, it is a solitary claim made by the Meghwal community themselves and has no one else to back their claim. Mostly, all sources, folktales & Hindu community believes Ramdevji to have born in Tanwar Rajput Community.[10] Baba Ramdevji believed in the equality of all human beings, be they high or low, rich or poor. He helped the down-trodden by granting them their wishes. Baba Ramdev is often depicted on horseback. His worship crosses the Hindu-Muslim divide as well as the distinctions of caste. His followers are spread across cutting across caste-barriers in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, Mumbai, Delhi and also in Sindh in Pakistan. Several Rajasthani fairs are held to commemorate him. The temples of Ramdevji are also found in many States of India.

Baba Ramdevji took Samadhi on Bhadrapada Shukla Ekadashi in V.S. 1442 at the age of 33 years. Dalibai, his ardent follower from Meghwal community, is also buried near his grave, who is said to have taken Samadhi two days before Ramdevji.

Folklore about Baba Ramdevji

One day, young Baba Ramdevji wanted to play with a toy horse. His father asked a toy maker to make one wooden horse, and for the purpose, gave him sandalwood and new cloth. The toy maker, however, stole most of the new cloth for his wife, and made the wooden horse from a piece of old cloth, with only a cover from new cloth. When Baba Ramdev sat on the horse it began to fly and disappeared into the sky along with the child. Baba Ramdev’s parents got angry with the toy maker and imprisoned him. Shortly afterwards, Ramdev came back along with the horse and accused the toymaker of cheating. The toy maker confessed his crime and begged for forgiveness. Baba Ramdevji forgave him and accepted the horse. Wooden toy horses covered with cloth are among the most popular offerings at the temple dedicated to him.

24 Banis are considered as famous literature composed by Ramdevji. Many poets and followers like Harji Bhati, Raja Mansinh, Likhmauji Mali, Vijoji Sani, Hiranand Mali, Devshi Mali and Rani Rupande had composed Folk lore's on Baba Ramdevji which are still sung by his followers.

Apart from Rajasthan, Baba Ramdevji or Ram Dev Pir has a strong Hindu following in Kathiawar, Gujarat. There are many temples dedicated to him. People from all strata of society worship him. A mystical festival, called Mandap, is also held in villages across Kathiawar to worship him. The whole affair is funded by the villagers. The highlight of the festival is an event in which a long (almost 60 feet or more in height) wooden log, called the Stambha, is decorated and laid on the ground with a loose base, with eight ropes tied to it from eight directions. Several rites and rituals are performed for about a month. At a certain time and date, the Stambha stands up. Very mysteriously and strangely, the Stambha stands up on its own, without any support. The eight ropes are loosely tied in eight nails that are driven in the ground. Lakhs of devotees flock this festival of Mandap to have a darshana of the event. The Stambha stand erect for exactly a day, and returns back to its position 24 hours later in the same fashion. It is believed that RamDev Pir himself appears in the Stambha.[11]

Ramdev Pir Jayanti

Ramdev Pir Jayanti i.e. the Birth date of Baba Ramdevji is celebrated every year all over India by devotees of Ramdevji with zeal & festivities. It falls on Beej(Gujrati)or Dooj or Dwitiya (2nd Day) of Shukla paksha of Bhadrapada month of Hindu calendar. In Rajasthan, this day is observed as a public holiday and a fair is held at Ramdevra temple, where lakhs of devotees both Hindu & Muslim take part and pay their homage to Samadhi at main temple.[12]

Baba Ramdevji in media

A Rajasthani language movie titled Baba Ramdevji based on the life of Baba Ramdevji was made in the 1960s. The movie was a big commercial success in its time and gave a significant fillip to the Rajasthani movie industry.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b A call to honour: in service of emergent India by Jaswant Singh. Rupa & Co. 2006. p. 23.
  2. ^ History goes that five Pirs from Mecca came to test his miraculous powers and after being convinced, paid their homage to him. Since then he is venerated by Muslims as Ramshahpir or Ramapir.
  3. ^ Parcha of Ramdevpir Why do Muslims call Ramdevji “Ramshahpir” or “Ramapir”? The Pirs and Fakirs intentions were to bring disgrace upon Ramdevji, instead they blessed him and Musapir announced that Ramdevji from now on will be known as Ramshahpir, Ramapir or Hindawapir in the whole world and all the Pirs and Fakirs present hailed to Ramdevji “Jai Ramapir, Jai Ramapir”.
  4. ^ a b c India today , Volume 18, Issues 1-12. Living Media India Pvt. Ltd. 1993. p. 61.
  5. ^ Why Hindus Believe Ramdevpir to be The Incarnation of Lord Krishna?
  6. ^ Bhagvan Ramdevji Maharaj was a Tunvar Rajput regarded by Hindus as the incarnation of Lord Krishna.
  7. ^ Hinduism: New Essays in the History of Religions By Bardwell L. Smith. 1976. pp. 138–139.
  8. ^ Gujarat Unknown: Hindu-Muslim Syncretism and Humanistic Forays By J. J. Roy Burman. 2004. pp. 114–115.
  9. ^ Dominique-Sila Khan. "Is God an Untouchable? A Case of Caste Conflict in Rajasthan" (PDF). Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
  10. ^ Ajmalji Tunvar and Dhanroopji. Ajmalji married Minaldevi or Minalde, Princess of Jesalmer. Ramdevji was born to Ajamalji.(See History)
  11. ^ Journeys to Freedom: Dalit Narratives By Fernando Franco, Jyotsna Macwan, Suguna Ramanathan. 2004. pp. 234–36.
  12. ^ Lakhs of devotees visiting Ramdevra temple in Rajasthan today. In Rajasthan, today is a public holiday to honour the most famous folk deity called Bhagwan Ramdevji Maharaj revered both by Hindus and Muslims. Among Muslims, Ramdevji is known as Ramapir.
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