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| Begampura of Bhagat Ravidas |
Guru Ravidas or Bhagat Raidas envisioned a society with people living in harmony without any sort of discrimination. He named this ideal society “Begampura" (Be-Gam-Pura) a place with no sorrow.
A city which is casteless, classless, where everybody is equal. Nobody is taxed and nobody owns wealth. There is no injustice, no worries, no terror and no exploitation or torture. That was Ravidas’ Begampura. With this city of his dreams, he laid the foundation of social equality in India the 15th century.
Bhagat Ravidas Bani
The following shabad of Bhagat Ravidas from Sri Guru Granth Sahib gives a detailed description of this concept in Page 345:
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜੀ ਕੇ ਪਦੇ ਗਉੜੀ ਗੁਆਰੇਰੀ
Raag Gauri, Padas Of Ravi Daas Jee, Gauree Gwaarayree:
ੴ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
ਮੇਰੀ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਪੋਚ ਸੋਚ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ॥
The company I keep is wretched and low, and I am anxious day and night;
ਮੇਰਾ ਕਰਮੁ ਕੁਟਿਲਤਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਕੁਭਾਂਤੀ ॥੧॥
My actions are crooked, and I am of lowly birth. ||1||
ਰਾਮ ਗੁਸਈਆ ਜੀਅ ਕੇ ਜੀਵਨਾ ॥
O Lord, Master of the earth, Life of the soul,
ਮੋਹਿ ਨ ਬਿਸਾਰਹੁ ਮੈ ਜਨੁ ਤੇਰਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Please do not forget me! I am Your humble servant. ||1||Pause||
ਮੇਰੀ ਹਰਹੁ ਬਿਪਤਿ ਜਨ ਕਰਹੁ ਸੁਭਾਈ ॥
Take away my pains, and bless Your humble servant with Your Sublime Love.
ਚਰਣ ਨ ਛਾਡਉ ਸਰੀਰ ਕਲ ਜਾਈ ॥੨॥
I shall not leave Your Feet, even though my body may perish. ||2||
ਕਹੁ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਪਰਉ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਾਭਾ ॥
Says Ravi Daas, I seek the protection of Your Sanctuary;
ਬੇਗਿ ਮਿਲਹੁ ਜਨ ਕਰਿ ਨ ਬਿਲਾਂਬਾ ॥੩॥੧॥
Please, meet Your humble servant - do not delay! ||3||1||
ਬੇਗਮ ਪੁਰਾ ਸਹਰ ਕੋ ਨਾਉ ॥
Baygumpura, 'the city without sorrow', is the name of the town.
ਦੂਖੁ ਅੰਦੋਹੁ ਨਹੀ ਤਿਹਿ ਠਾਉ ॥
There is no suffering or anxiety there.
ਨਾਂ ਤਸਵੀਸ ਖਿਰਾਜੁ ਨ ਮਾਲੁ ॥
There are no troubles or taxes on commodities there.
ਖਉਫੁ ਨ ਖਤਾ ਨ ਤਰਸੁ ਜਵਾਲੁ ॥੧॥
There is no fear, blemish or downfall there. ||1||
ਅਬ ਮੋਹਿ ਖੂਬ ਵਤਨ ਗਹ ਪਾਈ ॥
Now, I have found this most excellent city.
ਊਹਾਂ ਖੈਰਿ ਸਦਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
There is lasting peace and safety there, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
ਕਾਇਮੁ ਦਾਇਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੀ ॥
God's Kingdom is steady, stable and eternal.
ਦੋਮ ਨ ਸੇਮ ਏਕ ਸੋ ਆਹੀ ॥
There is no second or third status; all are equal there.
ਆਬਾਦਾਨੁ ਸਦਾ ਮਸਹੂਰ ॥
That city is populous and eternally famous.
ਊਹਾਂ ਗਨੀ ਬਸਹਿ ਮਾਮੂਰ ॥੨॥
Those who live there are wealthy and contented. ||2||
ਤਿਉ ਤਿਉ ਸੈਲ ਕਰਹਿ ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ॥
They stroll about freely, just as they please.
ਮਹਰਮ ਮਹਲ ਨ ਕੋ ਅਟਕਾਵੈ ॥
They know the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and no one blocks their way.
ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਖਲਾਸ ਚਮਾਰਾ ॥
Says Ravi Daas, the emancipated shoe-maker:
ਜੋ ਹਮ ਸਹਰੀ ਸੁ ਮੀਤੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ॥੩॥੨॥
Whoever is a citizen there, is a friend of mine. ||3||2||
Concept of Begampura
The philosophy of Bhagat Ravidas demonstates that during his times, a common man was subjected to endless worries, the lurking fear that anybody could be picked up for being an infidel. The Jizya tax was imposed on the non-Muslims. The wealth gap between the poor and rich created poverty. Caste-ridden Hindu society treated lower castes as untouchables who were not allowed to enter the temples. This restrictive practice of untouchability prohibited lower caste Shudras from entering temples, schools, wells, ponds and rest houses. The Muslims, the upper caste Hindus and the lower caste Shudras were regarded as first-grade, second-grade and third-grade citizens, respectively.
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| Inequality of Mideval India |
Composed against this background, Ravidas’ Begumpura is an expression of revolt against the inequality, discrimination, and exploitation of poor. Begampura is blessed with spirituality. Having met their basic needs, the people lead a life of contentment. Everyone has equal status in Begumpura. Nobody owns wealth. The people of Begumpura are free citizens – they can go anywhere without being stopped by the authorities.
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| Begampura of Ravidas |
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| Guru Nanak's Kartarpur |
A century later, Guru Nanak created Kartarpur (City of God) which embodied Bhagat Ravidas's dream of Begampura. A place where everyone was treated with respect regardless of their caste, all worked together as farmers, shared their earnings, meditated together, and sat together to dine as equals. Guru Nanak himself tilled the farm, sharedhis wealth, and ate "Langar" with his fellow citizens.
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| Guru Arjan Compiling Adi Granth |
Guru Arjan Dev considered Bhagat Ravidas as a source of inspiration and referred to him with honorary "Ji". He, like Guru Ramdas, praised Ravidas in his Bani, which is recorded in pages 1207 and 835 of the Guru Granth Sahib.
ਊਚ ਤੇ ਊਚ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਸਮਦਰਸੀ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਬਣਿ ਆਈ ॥੧॥Highest of the high is Naam Dev, who looked upon all alike; Ravi Daas was in tune with the Lord. ||1|| (Guru Arjan Dev, SGGS 1207)
Guru Arjan included 41 verses of Bhagat Ravidas in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, who the Sikhs refer to as Bhagat Ravidas in the Sikh holy book, most of which are in Sant Bhasha of Eastern UP. His poetry is brimming with ardent love for God, Universe, Nature, Guru, and the Name.
ਦੂਧੁ ਤ ਬਛਰੈ ਥਨਹੁ ਬਿਟਾਰਿਓ ॥
The calf has contaminated the milk in the teats of cow.
ਫੂਲੁ ਭਵਰਿ ਜਲੁ ਮੀਨਿ ਬਿਗਾਰਿਓ ॥੧॥
The bumble bee has contaminated the flower, and the fish the water. ||1||
ਈ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਹਾ ਲੈ ਚਰਾਵਉ ॥
O mother, where shall I find any offering for the Lord's worship?
ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਫੂਲੁ ਅਨੂਪੁ ਨ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I cannot find any other flowers worthy of the incomparable Lord. ||1||Pause||
ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਰਵਿਦਾਸ) : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੫ Raag Gujri (BhagatRavidas) SGGS 525
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| Guru Gobind Singh and Khalsa |
Another century later, Guru Gobind Singh synthesized the society by creating Khalsa, the spiritual warrior who discarded caste system, took baptism along with other folllowers who came from different castes. Guru Gobind Singh himself took Amrit from the Panj Pyaras, thus creating the harmony between the Guru and the disciples.
This was the embodiment of Guru Nanak's teachings, and fulfilment of the dream of Begampura of Bhagat Ravidas at Anandpur Sahib, the City of Bliss.
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