Author – Kuldip Kumar

Before saying anything about the struggle of Guru Ravidas, it will be appropriate if we know something about the history of Brahmanic terror of casteism that prompted the rise of the anti-caste movement in India.

1. Our history begins with the Indus Kingdom which was a 100% Non-Brahman The Buddha, Mahavira, and Asoka etc were all citizens of the Indus Kingdom. The natives of Indus Kingdom, popularly called Jambudeep, adopted Buddhism when the Buddha established it in 528 BCE. They NEVER followed Brahmanism. Not a single thread has been found in the debris of the ruined cities of the Indus Kingdom which could prove the existence of Brahmanism there.
2. The Brahmanism is younger/junior to Buddhism by four centuries. After the treachery of 184 BCE, it was invented and developed as anti-thesis to Buddhism during its imposition on the native Indians. The notable fact is that their first book i.e. the Rig Veda (RV) talks of only one activity and that is yaga. And that too was not done as a religious activity but it was arranged like we now arrange a cocktail party. Men of Deva clan were invited in the yaga as we invite our boss or seniors in the party, expecting some favour. The composers of RV did not know anything about Atma Parmatma, Moksha, Shradh, caste, pilgrimage or any other Brahmanic ritual. Thus it is a false and mischievous claim that Brahmanism had been the religion of the Indians prior to Buddhism.
3. Nothing like Arya ‘race’ ever existed on the Earth. Nothing like an event happened that the men of Arya race invaded India riding on the horses. The theory of horse riding Aryas’ invading India 3/5/10 thousand years ago is simply bullshit.
4. As per Megasthenese, ONLY the Brahman, came from outside and they came about 3 centuries prior to Alexander. And if we ponder over their wails and bawls as expressed in Rigveda, it will explicitly establish that they came here not as invaders but as “Bhayiyas” of UP-Bihar come to Punjab.
5. The Indus Kingdom was at its peak in the Maurya era. The Brahmanic treachery of 184 BCE set in motion its decline and ultimately in 800-820 CE, Sankar and Sundhava’s gangsters razed all the cities of Indus Kingdom which could withstand the odds of time. Thereafter, the untouchability was imposed on all the Buddhists.
6. After finishing Buddhism and the Indus Kingdom, the Brahman did the Tandava Nritya e. dance of terror against the native Indians, particularly the Buddhists who were declared impure. Their mere sight or touch was declared bad omen. The Manu Smiriti was implemented with full force, only after Digvijay of Sankar & Sundhava. For almost 6 centuries the Brahmanic terror of untouchability continued unopposed, thus unabated.

Then two Saint-Soldiers, Satguru Kabir and Satguru Ravidas arose from the religious headquarter of the Brahmans i.e. Benaras. They exhorted all the downtrodden to stand up against the Tandava (terrorism) of the Brahman. What Guru Kabir uttered against the Brahman, is mind-blowing. He went to the extent of exhorting people to “tonsure head of their mother” (Guru Granth Sahib Page 1369) because “a bitch is better than their mother” (P.1367) who gave birth to such bloody munivars. (P.1103) He even did not hesitate to call their goddess a bloody witch (trikh dayana) (P.871).

The Saints from all over India joined the anti-casteism movement initiated by these Saint-soldiers. A study of the life of these Saint Soldiers appears to be the story of a freedom movement. Amazingly all the freedom fighters were non-Brahman. It was a joint operation of the saints from Shudra, Kshatriya and Vaish communities against the Brahman and his Brahmanism. Gladly people from all walks of life joined the movement.  The response from the downtrodden was so overwhelming that Saint Soldier Kabir and Ravidas could muster the courage to enter the Brahman’s den and challenge his claim of superiority over other castes. The Muslim rule also provided a boost to their struggle.

Being a Punjabi, I revere Guru Nanak. When I read that he used to recite the Bani (writings) of Guru Ravidas, my interest increased in studying his Bani as preserved in the Guru Granth Sahib. I am not a religiously blindfolded person; so when I studied his Bani, believe me, it appeared to me as if I was studying Gulamgiri of Rashtarpita Jyotiba Phule or Revolution and Counter-Revolution of Baba Sahib. To me, Guru Ravidas never appeared to be a worshipper of a God/god (Bhakat). He appeared to me, the forerunner to Baba Sahib Ambedkar and Sahib Kanshiram, exhorting his people to regain their political power.

In his crusade against caste discrimination, I found two facts: First that he was proud of his being a Chamar. Thus he took his caste as his identity. Second, he opposed discrimination due to one’s caste. He refuted the Brahmanic theory and claim that their caste is superior to other castes. He did not talk of casteless society but advocated the establishment of a state where there shall not be any discrimination on account of caste. So we may safely say that he was not against the existence of caste but he was dead against casteism i.e. discrimination due to one’s caste.

The reason as to why do I call his struggle a “freedom movement” is his Bani through which he very explicitly stated that this country belongs to the Dalits who in the past used to be its ruler. And that the real solution to their problem lies in regaining their lost regime. I quote just two of his Shabads (poems).

First one says:

Ham bade kabi, kulin ham pandit ham jogi sanyasi!

Gyani guni soor hum data, yeh buddhi kabhi na nasi!!

Narpat ek sihansan soya, sapne bhaya bhikhari!

Achhat raj bichhade dukh paya soi dasha bhai hamari!!

Rajj bhujang prasang jese hai, ab kuchh marm janaya!

Anik katik jese bhool padi, ab kahte kahan na aya!!

(In the past we used to be great poets, rulers, philosophers, Yogis and Bhikkus. We were educated, expert and great donors. We never used our knowledge for destructive purposes. Now our position is like that of a king who slept on his throne and in the dream became a beggar. LIKE THAT KING, WE ARE IN TROUBLE AFTER BEEN DEPRIVED OF OUR LONG LASTING REGIME. I have understood that our people are frightened of rope presuming it to be a snake. When I go and tell these facts to my millions of misguided brethren; they say that nobody has told us this truth earlier.)

I am not mentioning here what translation those misguided flagbearers and Brahmanic writers have done of this Shabad. Their translation is just like burying a live warrior in the grave.

Another Shabad is “Begumpura“; a masterpiece of political thought about the welfare state. Begumpura is not Utopia. In fact, the Preamble of our Constitution is a replica of Begumpura. To the Western thinkers, the Begumpura might not be anything like an extraordinary thought. BUT think over the situation under which Guru Ravidas exhorted his people to regain their lost regime of Begumpura. At that time a Chamar (Guru’s caste) was not allowed to get an education, nor allowed to be Saint and not at all allowed to walk on the public road. Any and each of these crimes was sufficient ground against a Chamar to be killed!! Under such conditions, he dared to think of establishing Begumpura.

The Begumpura is a blueprint of an ideal welfare state where every citizen shall have all the Fundamental Rights of Equality, movement, property and liberty. No taxes due to the caste of a person. No discrimination on account of different communal ideologies.

THE LAST LINE OF THE BEGUMPURA SIMPLY SHOOK ME TO THE CORE. Guru Ravidas wrote: Jo Humsahari So Meet Hamara!! Whosoever wishes to be a citizen of Begumpura, be treated as our friend.

Thus an important question arises: what if someone does not want to be a citizen of Begumpura? Should he too be treated a friend?

AND MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IS: WHAT LIKE SHOULD WE TREAT A FELLOW WHO OBSTRUCTS FORMATION OF OUR BEGUMPURA? Should he be treated like a friend or foe? Such a fellow cannot be our friend. Then what should we do to that enemy of ours who obstructs fulfilling our Guru’s commandment?

It will not be out of context to mention here that I discussed “Begumpura” with the Chairman, Deptt of Political Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh. He categorically agreed to my claim that Begumpura is pure political theory. Anyhow, when I asked him to request the Vice-Chancellor to include it in the syllabus of Political Science, he kept mum.

I request all the readers to just give a reading to his Bani without any prejudice and you will agree with me that Guru Ravidas was greater political thinker than Aristotle and Plato. Sadly the illiterate flagbearers of Guru Ravidas have decomposed his political philosophy into the worship of God. They have their vested interests in keeping him Godly man wrapped in rudraksha garlands, tilak on his forehead, rosary in his hand and reciting Hari Hari. They do so because a political image of the Guru would not fetch donations for their luxurious life.

I think the future or very survival of our freedom movement depends on the answer to the last line of Begumpura. Perhaps what Saint Soldier Kabir said at that time is truer today.

Gagan Damama Bajiya, padya nissane ghaav!

Khet jo mandya Soorma, Ab jujhan ko daav!!

Soora Soi pahachaniye, jo lade deen ke het!

Purja purja kat kut maray, kab-hun na chhade khet!!

(The sound of beating the drum of war has rattled the sky, the target has been hit. The samurais have drawn lines of battle, it is time to fight. Only that man be called brave who fights for the downtrodden, and he who fights until his last bit of flesh falls on the battlefield!! And he who never quits the arena is truly a warrior.)

Let’s see who fights to the last bit of his flesh.