In a deeply devotional tribute to the timeless teachings and divine message of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Bani Adhyayan Centre at Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar, in the sacred presence of Padam Shri Sant Niranjan Dass Ji of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, along with Sant Pargat Nath Ji of Bal Nath Ashram, Sant Pardeep Dass Ji of Kathar, Sant Teja Singh Ji, Sant Nirmal Dass Ji of Jaure Wale, Sant Lekh Raj Ji and others,.
The Centre, being developed as a major institution for Adhyayan into the life, philosophy and sacred Bani of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj, will come up over 10.4 acres at an overall cost of ₹37 crore, including ₹11 crore spent on the land and ₹60 lakh on necessary permissions, while the Punjab Government will bear whatever expenditure is required for its construction.
The foundation stone has been laid as part of the Punjab Government’s year-long celebrations of the 650th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj, for which ₹100 crore has been earmarked. As part of these celebrations, 50 mobile vans are travelling across all 23 districts to screen documentaries on Guru Ji’s life, philosophy and teachings in 13,000 villages, taking his message of equality, humanity and dignity to people across Punjab.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Aman Arora, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, Mohinder Bhagat, Dr Ravjot Singh, Harbhajan Singh ETO and Lal Chand Kataruchak; Lok Sabha MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal; Chairman, Punjab State Cooperative Agriculture Development Bank, Pawan Kumar Tinu; Advisor, Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Deepak Bali; MLAs Balkar Singh and Inderjit Kaur Mann; and others.
On the occasion, Sant Samaj, including Padam Shri Sant Niranjan Dass Ji of Dera Ballan, Sant Pargat Nath Ji of Bal Nath Ashram, Sant Pardeep Dass Ji of Kathar, Sant Teja Singh Ji, Sant Nirmal Dass Ji of Jaure Wale, Sant Lekh Raj Ji and others, were also present.