Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Punjab’s Jalandhar district on February 1 to mark the 649th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidass, a move that is being seen as socially significant and politically consequential ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections next year. Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu confirmed the Prime Minister’s visit on Tuesday, triggering heightened political activity in the state.
The visit marks a departure from the Prime Minister’s usual practice of commemorating Guru Ravidass Jayanti at Seer Govardhan in Varanasi, the saint’s birthplace and part of Modi’s parliamentary constituency. This time, the decision to travel to Dera Sachkhand Ballan is widely interpreted as an attempt to deepen engagement with Punjab’s Dalit population, which accounts for nearly 34 percent of the state’s total population.
Dera Sachkhand Ballan holds immense religious importance for the Ravidassia community and is considered its spiritual headquarters. The dera is headed by Sant Niranjan Dass, whose name was recently included in the list of Padma Shri awardees, adding to the institution’s national recognition. Sant Niranjan Dass also oversees religious activities at Seer Govardhan in Varanasi, maintaining a spiritual link between the two revered sites.
Nearly two months ago, Sant Niranjan Dass had met Prime Minister Modi at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by senior BJP leaders, including former CPS Avinash Chander, BJP state general secretary Tarun Chugh, and former Union Minister Vijay Sampla. That interaction is now being seen as a precursor to the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to Ballan.
Traditionally, the dera chief leads a special train carrying around 2,000 devotees to Varanasi every year to mark Guru Ravidass Jayanti. While the train is expected to be flagged off on January 29, sources indicate that Sant Niranjan Dass may return by air this time to remain present at Dera Ballan during the Prime Minister’s visit.
The announcement of Modi’s visit has given fresh momentum to the Punjab BJP, with party leaders expecting a major announcement on the day. According to party sources, one of the proposals under discussion is renaming Adampur Airport after Guru Ravidass, a long-pending demand of the Ravidassia community. Though no official confirmation has been made, expectations remain high.
Followers of Guru Ravidass have been demanding elaborate preparations for the 650th birth anniversary celebrations, which will be observed next year. BJP leaders believe the Prime Minister’s visit will formally kick-start year-long commemorative events in honour of the saint, whose teachings continue to inspire messages of equality, social harmony, and justice.
The BJP’s move comes amid efforts by other political parties to strengthen their presence among the Ravidassia community. Both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have previously announced grants of ₹25 crore each to the dera, but dera functionaries claim that little progress has been made on the ground over the past four years. The BJP, meanwhile, has proposed setting up a Guru Ravidass Research Centre near the dera and is exploring the acquisition of around 12 acres of land for the project.
Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is expected to visit the tapo-asthan of Guru Ravidass at Khuralgarh in Hoshiarpur district on February 6, where a 151-foot-tall Minar-e-Begampura is set to be unveiled. Local residents have also raised demands for recarpeting and four-laning of the approach road ahead of the 650th Parkash Purb celebrations next year.