Ramdev Pir
Baba Ramdev is a Hindu folk deity of Rajasthan, India. He was a fourteenth-century ruler, said to have miraculous powers, who devoted his life to the upliftment of the downtrodden and poor people of society. He is worshiped by many social groups of India as Ishta-deva. He is regarded as an incarnation of Krishna.
Background
Ramdev is considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu as the Kalki avatar. King Ajmal married Queen Minaldevi, daughter of Pamji Bhati of Chhahan Baru village. The childless king went to Dwaraka and pleaded with Krishna about his wish to have a child like him. They had two sons, Viramdev and the younger Ramdev. Ramdev was born on Bhadra Shukla Dooj in V.S. 1405 in a Rajput family at Ramderiya, Undu and Kashmir in Barmer district.In Rajasthan, Ramdev is the chief deity of the Meghwal community, worshiped during Vedwa Punam. The community's religious leader, Gokuldas, claims that Ramdev was himself a Meghwal in his 1982 book Meghwal Itihas, which constructs a history of the Meghwal community. However, this is a claim accepted only by the Meghwal community themselves.
Muslims venerate Ramdev as Ramshah Pir or Rama Shah Peer. He was said to have had miraculous powers and his fame reached far and wide. Legend has it that five Pirs from Mecca came to test Ramdev's powers. Ramdev welcomed them, and requested them to have lunch with him. The Pirs declined, saying that they ate only with their personal utensils, which were in Mecca. At this, Ramdev smiled and said look your utensils are coming and they saw that their eating bowls were coming flying in air from Mecca. After being convinced of his abilities and powers, they paid their homage to him and named him Rama Shah Peer. The five Pirs, who came to test his powers, were so impressed by him that they decided to stay with him. Their graves are located near Ramdev's samadhi.
Ramdev believed in the equality of all human beings, be they high or low, rich or poor. He helped the down-trodden by granting them their wishes. He is often depicted on horseback. His followers are spread across in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, Mumbai, Delhi and also in Sindh in Pakistan. Several fairs in Rajasthan are held to commemorate him. Temples in his name are found in many states of India.
Story of King Ajmal
As per folklore, King Ajmal Tanwar, a descendant of Anangpal Tomar II of Delhi, was the king of Pokaran. His wife, Rani Mainaldevi, was the daughter of the king of Jaisalmer. After becoming the king of Pokhran, Ajmal had only two daughters, Lasa and Saguna. One day the king was on a tour of his kingdom. It was monsoon, yet the kingdom had not received any rainfall. On his tour, the king met a few farmers who were on their way to their farms to sow seeds. On seeing the king, they began to return to their homes. Surprised at this act, the king asked farmers the reason for their behavior. When assured that no harm would come to them if they told the truth, the farmers told the king that they believed that seeing a barren king's face while on their way to their fields might cause their crops to fail. Ajmal was very sad upon hearing this. Being a devotee of Krishna, the king decided to go to the lord's palace in Dwarika.Ajmal arrived at Dwarka and prayed for many days. Ultimately, in sheer disappointment, he asked Krishna's image the reason for deserving such sorrow. The image did not respond to the king's repeated queries. Angered and enraged at this, the king threw a dried laddu at the head of the image. The priest of the temple, considering the king to be mad, asked the king to go to the mystic Dwaraka to speak to the Lord. Dwaraka, swallowed by the sea many centuries prior, lay on the bed of the Arabian Sea. The unfearing king dived into the sea to meet the Lord. Pleased at the king's dedication and faith, the Lord granted him a boon. The king asked for Krishna to be born as his son. Lord promised to come in the king's house. Soon thereafter, the royal couple gave birth to the boy, whom they named Bhiramdev. After a few years, Krishna took a small form and appeared next to Bhiramdev.
, Rajasthan, India
Samadhi
Ramdev took Samadhi at Ramdevra in Rajasthan, on Bhadrapada Shukla Ekadashi in V.S. 1442 at the age of 37 years.Dalibai, his ardent follower from the Meghwal community, is also buried near his grave and is said to have taken Samadhi two days before Ramdev.
Ramdev Jayanti
Ramdev Jayanti, the birth date of Ramdev, is celebrated every year in India by his devotees. It falls on Dooj of Shukla paksha of Bhadrapad month of Hindu calendar. In Rajasthan, this day is observed as a public holiday and a fair is held at the Ramdevra temple, where hundreds of thousands of devotees, both Hindu and Muslim, take part and pay their homage to Samadhi at the main temple.Temples
Main temple
The temple complex housing the resting place of Ramdev is located at Ramdevra in Rajasthan. The present temple structure was built around Ramdev's final resting place by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner in 1931.The complex also houses Samadhis of his disciples like Dalibai and some other of his chief disciples. The complex also houses the tombs of five Muslim Pirs, who had come from Mecca. It also houses a step-well, the water of which devotees believe has healing powers.
Other locations
In India
One big temple is built in the Arathi village of Kheralu Taluka in the Mehsana district of Gujarat by saint Shri Velji Bapa along with a Sadhanashram to provide people a medium to improve their spirit.[Rajasthan]
- Baba Ramdev Mandir, Ramdevra, Pokaran Dist. Jaisalmer
- Ramderiya, Undu-Kashmir Barmer
- Mijaliya Nada Baba Ramdev temple, Bhandawpur, Jalore District
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Gangashahar, Bikaner
- Bithuja Near Balotra, Barmer District
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Nogama - Bagidora, Banswara District
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Masooria Hills, Jodhpur district
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Bagra, Jalore District
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Suraj Pole, Jalore, Jalore District
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Khundiyas, Ajmer District
- Baba Ramdev ji Temple Lakhasar, pillibangan district Hanumangarh established by Shera Ram
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Rawatsar, Hanumangarh District
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Nawalgarh, Jhunjhunu District
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Miyala Kheda, Rajsamand District
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Sigdola Chhota Sikar
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Deoli, Tonk
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Didwana, Nagaur
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Sri Ganganagar
[Haryana]
- Mandir Baba Ramdev Ji Kharian established by Hanuman Parshad Arora in 1980, 26 km far from Sirsa
- Mandir Baba Ramdev ji kurangavali is established as baba ramdevji came there #Anurag kalwa
[Delhi]
- Historical 700-year-old Ramdwara Hinglaj Devi Mandir with Ramtala pond, in Naraina
- Ram Dev Mandir, Bakkarwala
- Shri Baba Ramdev Mandir, Beadonpura, Karol Bagh
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Rohini
- Ghode Wala Mandir In Raghubir Nagar Delhi
[Gujarat]
- Ramdevji Maharaj Temple, Savabhagat Ni Jagya, Pipalidham
- Ramdevji Maharaj Temple, Chowpati Ground, Porbandar
- Ramdevji Maharaj Temple, Pala No chowk, Kharvavad, Porbandar
- Ramdevji Maharaj Temple, Dwara Faliyu, Kharvavad, Porbandar
- Ramapir Temple, Satada, Rajkot, Gujarat
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Toraniya, Rajkot
- Ramdevpir Mandir, Lakheni, Botad
- Shree Parab Dham, Junagadh, Gujarat
- Ram Madhi, Surat, Gujarat
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Mithakali, Ahmedabad
- Ramdevpir Alakdhani Temple, Vadodara
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Navtad, Ahmedabad
- Baba Ramdevpir Mandir, Kadana, Mahisagar
- Baba Ramdevpir Mandir, Palitana, Bhavnagar
- Ramdevji Maharaj Temple, Ranuja, near Kalawad, Dist. Jamnagar
[Assam]
- Guwahati
- Tinsukia
- Baba Ramdev Dham, Dekagaon, Mariani
- Runicha Dham, Sivasagar
- Baba Shree Ramdev Mandir, Dibrugarh
- Shree Nirala Dham Ramdev Mandir,Bokakhat
- Baba Ramdev Bhakt Mandal, Amguri
[Chhattisgarh]
- Raipur
- Rajnandgaon
[Tamil Nadu]
- Chennai
- Coimbatore
- Erode
- Madurai
Punjab">Punjab, India">Punjab
- Temple of Baba Ramdev ji, Killian wali, Abohar, Punjab
- Baba Ramdev Ji Mandir, Katehra, Fazilka
- Mandir Baba Ramdev Ji Patrewala, Abohar
- Mandir Baba Ramdev Ji Sherwala, Abohar
- Banwala Hanwanta, Fazilka
- Ladhuka, Firozpur district
- Malout, Kotkapura, Faridkot
[Madhya Pradesh]
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Ramdev Nagar, Ganjbasoda, Bhopal
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Ramganj Jinsi, Indore
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Khatsur, Shajapur
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Kachnara, Mandsaur
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Shamshabad, Bhopal
[West Bengal]
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Liliuah, Howrah
- Sri Krishna Avatar Baba Ramdev Mandir, Kanki Dham, Kishangunj
[Maharashtra]
- Shree Ramdev Baba Mandir, Mumbai
- Shri Ramdevpir Mandir, Chembur, Mumbai
- Baba Ramdev Ji Temple, Guruwar Peth, Pune
- Baba Ramdev Ji Temple, Mangalwara, Hingoli
- Ramdev Pir Temple, Pujya Kandas Bapu Ashram, Kandivali, Mumbai
- Baba Ramdevji Temple, Mulund, Mumbai
- Shri Ramdev Baba Mandir, Ausa Road, Latur
- Shri Ramdev Baba Mandir, Nehru Maidan, Dombivli
- Shri Ramdev Baba Mandir, Jalgaon
- Shree Ramdev Baba Mandir, Washim Bypass, Geetanagar, Akola
- Ramdev Baba Mandir, Runicha Nagar, Mehkar
- Shri Ramdev Baba Mandir, New Mondha Parbani
- Shri Ramdev Baba Mandir, Katol Road, Nagpur
- Ramdev Baba Temple, Hinganghat, Wardha
- Ramdev Baba Temple, Rajapeth, Amravati
- Ramdev Baba Samadhi Temple, Prabhat Chowk, Amravati
- Ramdev Baba Temple, Ratnagiri
- Shri Ramdev Baba Mandir, Soundad,Gondia district.
- Shri Ramdev Baba Mandir, Railtoli, Gondia
[Odisha]
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Cuttack
[Telangana]
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Shivrampally, Hyderabad
- Baba Ramdev Ashtkoni Temple, Hyderabad
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Feelkhana, Hyderabad
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Mancherial
- Baba Ramdev Asthakoni Temple, Yellandu, Khammam
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Peddapally
[Karnataka]
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Gunj, Raichur
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Bangalore
- Baba Ramdev Temple, Gangavathi
[Kerala]
- Shree Ramdev Temple, Ernakulam, Kochi
[WestBengal]
- Baba Ramdev temple, Kanki Dham, Kishanganj
Abroad
[Kenya]
- Ramdev Peer Temple, Mombasa
Shri Ramdev pir temple, Pakistan
Legend
According to a legend, about 150 years ago, a man of the Khatri community of Tando Allahyar took a vow that if he was blessed with a son, he would arrange mela of Rama Pir. His wish was fulfilled. The man brought an earthen lamp from the original temple of Rama Pir in Rajasthan to Tando Allahyar and built a temple. During the mela, people carry flags in their hands and recite bhajans whole night sitting outside the city, and early in the morning at 5:00 AM they hoist the Dhaja at the temple by dancing on the beat of drums and trumpets. Thousands of devotees travel on foot to pay homage to Rama Pir. Although Ramdev was cremated in Rajasthan, he had come to Tando Allahyar and his devotees had constructed a temple in his memory at the place where he had worshiped as far back as 1800. Since then, a fair is held at the Rama Pir temple by his devotees every year. There is also a temple of Ramdev Pir in Chelhar, Sindh, Pakistan. It is thought that the horse of Baba Ramdev Pir used to feed and rest up there.Media
A Rajasthani language film based on the life of Ramdev, Baba Ramdev, was made in the 1960s. The movie was a commercial success.Gujarati language film Jay Ramdev Pir was based on the life of Ramdev Pir.
Gopal Bajaj is a singer and musician from Hyderabad, best known for his performances for many Ramdevji bhajans.
24 Banis are considered as famous literature composed by Ramdev. Many poets and followers like Harji Bhati, Raja Mansinh, Likhmauji Mali, Vijoji Sani, Hiranand Mali, Devshi Mali and Rani Rupande composed folk-tales about him which are still sung by his followers.