Raidas or Ravidas (c.1398-c.1448), is considered one of the early north Indian poet-Sants. He was initiated by Ramananda and was the guru of Mirabai. He was a cobbler by caste (and thus a dalit (untouchable). Raidas, in the tradition of the Sant poets, wrote devotional (Bhakti) poems in secular Hindi. He lived in Varanasi (Benares).

He is remembered by his stedafast challenge to the caste system: "A family that has true followers of the Lord is neither high caste, nor low caste, lordly or poor"Adi Granth 29, cited in Hawley, John S. and Jurgensmeyer, Mark (eds.), Songs of the Saints of India (2005) p.17, Oxford University Press ,ISBN 0195052218

His devotional songs and verses made a lasting impact in the Bhakti movement.

अब कैसे छूटे राम, नाम रट लागी .
प्रभुजी तुम चन्दन हम पानी, जाकी अंग अंग बास समानि .
प्रभुजी तुम घन बन हम मोरा, जैसे चितवत चन्द चकोरा .
प्रभुजी तुम दीपक हम बाती, जाकी जोति बरै दिन राती |
प्रभुजी तुम मोती हम धागा, जैसे सोने मिलत सुहागा .
प्रभुजी तुम स्वामी हम दासा, ऐसी भक्ति करै रैदासा ..

Translation:

How to escape? I recite the name Ram.

Lord, if you are sandalwood, I am water;

with the fragrance in all parts of my body.

Lord, if you are a cloud, I am a peacock;

looking for you like a chakora for the moon.

Lord, if you are a lamp, I am the wick (bAti);

with the light burning day and night.

Lord, if you are a pearl, I am the thread;

together like gold and suhaga.

Lord, you are the master and I servant;

thus is the devotion of Raidas.Guru Ravidass Marg, Harnam Singh Lakha, Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha U.K. undated.

Forty-one of his writings have been included in the Sikh's Holy Book "Guru Granth Sahib". There is also a larger body of hymns passed on independently of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Ravidas is venerated in northern India, and in the Indian state of Maharashtra, in particular by the Ravidasi or Ad-dharmi religious movement. Launched in 1920 in Punjab, this is a monotheistic faith. It has a number of branches in the United Kingdom, especially in the Midlands.

Seel also

• Sant Mat
• Ravidasi

References