Khuralgarh — With Punjab steadily moving closer to a decisive political phase, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday made a strong cultural, social and political statement by inaugurating year-long state-wide celebrations to mark the 650th Guru Purb of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji. The move not only reaffirmed the Aam Aadmi Party government’s commitment to social equality and religious harmony but also underlined how all major political forces in Punjab are intensifying outreach to diverse spiritual and social groups as electoral calculations begin to sharpen.
Launching the commemorations from Khuralgarh, a place deeply associated with the life and teachings of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji, CM Mann announced a calendar of religious, cultural and academic programmes that will continue uninterrupted till February 20, 2027. These include Sant Sammelans, large congregations, katha-kirtan programmes, conventions and seminars in universities across Punjab. Simultaneously, the Chief Minister unveiled major institutional initiatives, including further development of the Sri Guru Ravidass Memorial at Khuralgarh and the establishment of a Sri Guru Ravidass Bani Study and Research Centre near Dera Ballan in Jalandhar.
Addressing the state-level function organised on the occasion of the 649th Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Ravidass Maharaj Ji, Bhagwant Singh Mann projected himself as a custodian of Guru Ji’s egalitarian legacy. He said the teachings of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji were not confined to any one community but belonged to all humanity, as they envisioned a society free from discrimination, exploitation and social hierarchy. Mann described the year-long celebrations as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to spread Guru Ji’s universal message across Punjab and beyond.
In a clear assurance to the Sant Samaj and devotees, the Chief Minister declared that there would be no shortage of funds for the 650th Guru Purb celebrations. He said whatever guidance and directions were given by the Sant Samaj would be fully implemented by the state government. The statement carried both spiritual and political weight, reinforcing the government’s attempt to institutionalise faith-based cultural observances within its broader governance framework.
CM Mann repeatedly linked the legacy of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji with the AAP government’s policy priorities, particularly education and healthcare. He said Punjab was witnessing parallel transformation on both fronts, with world-class government schools being developed under the Schools of Eminence programme, while healthcare reforms were being strengthened through the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna. Under this scheme, every family in Punjab is now entitled to cashless treatment up to ₹10 lakh, double the earlier limit of ₹5 lakh, benefiting nearly 65 lakh families across the state.
Positioning his government as ideologically aligned with the teachings of social reformers, Mann invoked the philosophy of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji and Bharat Ratna Dr B.R. Ambedkar to underline the government’s focus on empowering the weakest sections of society. He said Guru Ji’s bani was a guiding light for humanity and provided answers to many of the social and moral challenges faced by modern society. According to Mann, the AAP government’s mandate itself was a result of public trust in its promise to deliver dignity, equality and opportunity to every citizen of Punjab.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the state’s recent history of commemorating major Sikh and social reform icons, recalling the year-long observances of the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji. He said similar seriousness and scale would define the celebrations of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji’s 650th Parkash Purb. Expressing personal reverence for Khuralgarh, Mann said he felt spiritually connected to the land where Guru Ji had spent over four years and from where he had given a resounding message of equality to the world.
On the institutional front, CM Mann said the Punjab government had already taken concrete steps to preserve and propagate Guru Ji’s philosophy through academic engagement. Chairs dedicated to Sri Guru Ravidass Ji have been established at Panjab University and Guru Nanak Dev University to promote research into his life, philosophy and social impact. These initiatives, he said, would ensure that Guru Ji’s teachings remain part of Punjab’s intellectual and social discourse for generations.
Detailing infrastructure investments, the Chief Minister said a world-class Sri Guru Ravidass Memorial had already been constructed at Khuralgarh at a cost of nearly ₹148 crore. The memorial includes Minar-e-Begumpura, a Sangat Hall, a modern auditorium, tourist facilities and multi-level parking, making it both a spiritual and cultural landmark. He further announced that the state government had purchased 12 acres of land in villages Faridpur and Nau Gaza near Dera Ballan at a cost of ₹10 crore to set up a Sri Guru Ravidass Adhyan Centre. This centre, he said, would emerge as a national-level research and learning hub dedicated to Guru Ji’s bani and philosophy.
Senior AAP leader and Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia, addressing the gathering, said he felt privileged to visit Khuralgarh, describing it as a land that gave the world the message of human equality. He said the Punjab government was following the same path by ensuring equal access to education, healthcare and public services for every citizen, regardless of social or economic background. Sisodia added that the governance model being implemented in Punjab was relevant not just for the state but for the entire country.
Politically, the event reflected a broader trend in Punjab, where faith, social reform and governance intersect in the public sphere. As elections draw closer, every political party is seeking to connect with different sects and communities, but the AAP government is attempting to do so through sustained institutional commitments rather than symbolic gestures alone. By anchoring the 650th Guru Purb celebrations in long-term cultural infrastructure, academic research and welfare-centric governance, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann is projecting an image of a government striving to put Punjab firmly back on the right gear—socially, economically and morally.
Several Cabinet Ministers, MPs, MLAs, representatives of the Sant Samaj and other dignitaries attended the function, signalling the political and cultural significance of the occasion in Punjab’s evolving public narrative.
