Hamirpur/Dagoh, August 9, 2026:
The approximately 750-kilometre-long Kalash Vandan Yatra, undertaken to commemorate the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Shiromani Ravidas Ji Maharaj, concluded ceremoniously on Sunday at Dagoh in the Nadaun Assembly constituency. Former Union Minister and Hamirpur Lok Sabha MP Anurag Singh Thakur and National President of the BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha Lal Singh Arya were among the prominent leaders, members of the Sant Samaj and a large number of party workers present on the occasion.
Besides Anurag Singh Thakur, Rajya Sabha MP Sikander Kumar, MLA Inderdutt Lakhanpal, MLA Ashish Sharma, Pradesh Mahila Morcha General Secretary Kamlesh Kumari, State Convener of the programme Sumeet Sharma, BJP District President Rakesh Thakur, former MLAs Rajinder Rana and Vijay Agnihotri, former District President Raghuvir Singh Thakur, office-bearers of the BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha and a large number of party workers were present.
Addressing the concluding ceremony, Anurag Singh Thakur said that Sant Shiromani Ravidas Ji Maharaj gave society the message of equality, social harmony and humanity. His teachings inspire people to rise above the distinctions of caste and creed and work towards taking every section of society together. He said that the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas Ji would not be confined to a single-day celebration; rather, a resolve has been taken to carry his thoughts and message to every corner of the country over the next seven months.
Anurag Thakur said that the Kalash Vandan Yatra had concluded at Dagoh in Nadaun after covering approximately 750 kilometres. The objective of the yatra was to take the thoughts of Sant Ravidas Ji to every section of society and strengthen the spirit of social harmony and public welfare by rising above caste-based divisions. He said that the life and teachings of Sant Ravidas Ji continue to guide society towards unity, equality and brotherhood.
Lal Singh Arya, National President of the BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha, said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, concerted efforts are being made to strengthen social harmony with the guiding principle of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas. Various programmes focused on social reform and social harmony are being organised across the country to mark the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Shiromani Ravidas Ji.
He said that through the Samrasta Sankalp Abhiyan, which began from Kashi, efforts are being made to take the thoughts and message of Sant Ravidas Ji to every section of the country. The campaign will be conducted in five phases. The first phase will comprise programmes at the national level, followed by state-level programmes in the second phase and district and mandal-level programmes in the third phase. The fourth phase will include programmes across various states, including Punjab, Jalandhar and Himachal Pradesh, while the fifth phase will focus on a student outreach campaign aimed at connecting the youth with the life, teachings and message of social harmony of Sant Ravidas Ji.
Lal Singh Arya said that Sant Ravidas Ji raised his voice against social evils and discrimination and propagated the ideals of equality and humanity. His thoughts remain equally relevant today, and it is the collective responsibility of society to take his message to every section of the people.
It may be recalled that the Kalash Vandan Yatra had reached Una on Saturday, where MP Anurag Singh Thakur had also participated in the programme. On Sunday, the yatra reached Dagoh in Nadaun, where it concluded with a grand ceremony. A decision has been taken to commemorate the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas Ji on a व्यापक scale with a firm resolve to promote social harmony and work towards eliminating caste-based discrimination.
