UNITED RAVIDASSIA COMMUNITY

Today marks the 41st Barsi of Shri 108 Sant Sarwan Dass Maharaj Ji 

15th February 1895 - 11th June 1972

Saints appear on this earth to ferry the people from the sea of inaterialism by attaching them with ´´Naam’’ who had been detached by the circle of birth and death from the valuable gem. One such saint was Sant Sarwan Dass Ji who put his feet on this planet on feb. 15, 1895 in the lap of fortunate great mother, Shobhawanti in the house of Shri 108 Sant Pipal Dass Ji village Gill Patti in Bathinda district of Punjab. At he time of birth, s symbol of ´´Padam’’ was seen inscribed on the foot of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji to which many persons had seen at that time. The parents of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji were very pious and religious persons and every word uttered by Shri Pipal Dass Ji proved to be true. When Sant Sarwan Dass Ji was only five years old, his mother left this world and Sarwan Dass Ji was feeling depressed and sad. Sensing this, Sant Pipal Dass Ji left Gill Patti along with Sant Sarwan Dass Ji and after touring many places reached village Ballan in Jalandhar. The elder brother of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji was Sant Sewa Dass ji who stayed at the village. The touch of feel of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji made sancto-sanctorum the village Bal, Raipur and Sarmastpur. There were ´´green dake trees’’ at village Ballan which attracted Sant Sarwan Dass Ji most. The villagers of Ballan gave much love and regard to him and due to this only Sant Sarwan Dass Ji requested his father to take him back to Ballan from Piplanwala as the ´´green dake trees’’ lured him most. When Sant Pipal Dass ji along with his son came back to Ballan, the sangat of the village Ballan gave the mud-roofed house to them for their permanent residence. Now the people started respecting Sant Sarwan Dass Ji more and here he started worshipping Almighty in the terrific forest lying in the west of Ballan where deer in groups at daytime and jackles at night strolled freely and the residents had named this place as ´´jackels home’’. Sant Sarwan Dass Ji had also experienced ´´Ang Katti Yog’’ there during worship and many residents of Ballan village had seen this wonderful miracle. At night Sant Sarwan Dass ji preferred to stay at village where in the morning he used to deliver religious discourses to the sangat. Impressed by spiritual enlightenment of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji, one farmer named Shri Hazara Singh of Ballan donated on kanal land to Sant ji’s cottage. Sant Sarwan Dass Ji got his early education from his father and go Sanskrit education from Sant Kartanand ji of Kishangarh. Guru ji was a great Hindi, Punjabi and Sanskrit scholar and he wrote one poem which is as under-

He came in Kashi, and saved Nagar Mal,

by breaking the shackles of materialism

He preached the message of unity,

and revived the soulless India.

He broke the walls of rich and poor,

high and low, and dismissed the casteism in all shapes,

and, asked, who, except Satguru Ravidass Ji,

had tied together the scattered humanity in the four ages.

Sant Sarwan Dass Ji got Naam from Sant Harnam Dass Ji who pronounced that the former had excelled him spiritual and would be a great sant in the coming days. First Sant Sarwan Dass Ji made a hut. Than a small room and a verandah were annexed. Sant Sarwan Dass Ji used to worship Almightly. When Sant Pipal Dass ji passed away on 1st Navrata in 1927, the entire responsibility of ferrying the human beings from this vicious circle of worldly desires has fallen on Sant Sarwan Dass Ji. In the Dera, Sant Sarwan Dass Ji started a school where he used to teach Guru Granth Sahib & Punjabi to the Children. Every Sunday the kheer and sweet cakes were prepared and offered to Sangat and Children. Many Children who got education from Sant Sarwan Dass ji proved successful pathies. Sant Sarwan Dass Ji used to say that those parents were enemies of their own children who did not have them educated. He also preached that the poor should abstain from drug addiction and superstitions and lead honest & hard working life. Besides, have amenity preached that all human must worship Almighty to get their souls purged from vilification of social evils and ill. Whoever invited Dera. Sant Sarwan Dass Ji persuaded him to NAAM SIMRAN and satsang. When he finished the satsang he used to say that their presence had been marked in the darbar of Almighty. He respected the saints who visited the Dera and used to exchange his views on the spiritually with them. Whenever he found time tried to meet spiritually enlightened souls & one such visit was to Dera Beas to meet Sant Sarwan Dass Ji. Sant Sarwan Dass Ji was delivering religious discourses to the sangat. When they saw Sant Sarwan Dass Ji stood up from his bed, showed proper saintly regards to Sant Sarwan Dass Ji and politely offered him to take seat toward head of his bed. Both great saints shared their spiritual delightful experiences fro long hours. Such was loving thirst of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji for spiritually elevated saints. Sant Sarwan Dass Ji was always concerned for social cause. When in 1932 Poona Pact was implemented by dint of hard work of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar the mission of the dalits, the fast unto death of Sh. Mangoo Ram Magowalia was discontinued by serving juice to the faster from sacred hand of Sant Sarwan Dass Ji During his visit to Delhi in 1948 at the request of Giani Bishna Ram, Sh. Faquir Singh, Sh. Swaran Singh, Sh. Niranjan Singh Hothi, Sh. Puran Singh of Beas Pind, Sh. Bhagat Singh & Sh. Nama Ram Dihana, Sant Sarwan Dass Ji daily used to deliver religious sermons at the residences of devotees, and during his stay at Delhi, he along with Giani Bishna Ram, went to meet Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the prophet of humanity. Dr. Sahib showed great respect to Sant Sarwan Dass Ji’s glowing personality and views. In 1952 Dr. Ambedkar had visited Punjab. Sant Sarwan Dass Ji could not meet him personally due to some reasons but wrote a very impressive letter. Dr. Sahib, you are a great son of community. March ahead for welfare of community & success will your feet and people will proud of you. Click here to learn more