To commemorate the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, the Punjab Government has launched a statewide outreach programme featuring documentary vans that will travel to nearly 13,000 villages to spread the Guru’s message of equality, social justice and brotherhood.
Documentary Vans Flagged Off in Amritsar
As part of the initiative, Punjab Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO flagged off three documentary vans for Amritsar on Tuesday. Among those present on the occasion were District Planning Committee Chairman Gurpartap Singh Sandhu, District Tourism Officer Sukhmandeep Singh, District Education Officer (Secondary) Kanwaljit Singh and other officials.
Harbhajan Singh ETO said the special initiative aims to screen a documentary on the life, philosophy and teachings of Guru Ravidas in villages across the state. He said three documentary vans have been allotted to Amritsar district.
Each Van Equipped with LED Screen
“Each van is equipped with a 12 ft × 8 ft LED screen on which a 30-minute documentary will be screened. The film is concise, meaningful and impactful, and will effectively convey the teachings and ideals of Guru Ravidas Ji to the people,” he said.
The minister said that during the first 15 days, the vans will cover villages in the Jandiala Guru, Baba Bakala Sahib and Ajnala Assembly constituencies. Thereafter, they will visit every village in the district.
Objective: Promote Social Equality and Brotherhood
He said the objective of the initiative is to take Guru Ravidas’ message of social equality, communal harmony, truth, dignity of labour and humanity to every household. He added that the documentary would help connect the younger generation with the Guru’s ideals and inspire them through his life and teachings.
According to the schedule, each van will visit two villages every day, with screenings to be held between 5 pm and 7.30 pm.
Significance for Punjab's Ravidasia Community
Punjab has one of the largest populations of the Ravidasia and Dalit communities in the country, particularly in the Doaba region. The state government has described the initiative as part of its efforts to preserve and promote Guru Ravidas’ teachings while encouraging social harmony and inclusiveness across Punjab.
