AAP's Guru Ravidas Yatra Plan Targets Key Dalit Vote In Punjab
With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, the Bhagwant Mann government has announced an extensive programme to mark the 650th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj, including four major Shobha Yatras that will converge at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib in December.
The announcement comes at a politically significant time, with the Ravidassia community and Dalit voters expected to remain an important factor in Punjab's electoral politics ahead of 2027. Punjab has the country's highest proportion of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in its population among all states; the Doaba region has a particularly strong Ravidassia presence.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, a prominent Dalit face of the AAP, announced the programme at Punjab Bhawan on Tuesday, describing it as a religious and cultural initiative aimed at spreading the teachings and writings of Guru Ravidas. Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond and department adviser Deepak Bali were also present.
— AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab) September 22, 2026ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜੀ ਦੇ 650ਵੇਂ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਪੁਰਬ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਰਪਿਤ 4 ਸ਼ੋਭਾ ਯਾਤਰਾਵਾਂ
ਜੰਮੂ, ਵਾਰਾਣਸੀ, ਫ਼ਰੀਦਕੋਟ ਅਤੇ ਬਠਿੰਡਾ ਤੋਂ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਖੁਰਾਲਗੜ੍ਹ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਲਈ ਚੱਲਣਗੀਆਂ ਸ਼ੋਭਾ ਯਾਤਰਾਵਾਂ, 4 ਦਸੰਬਰ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਹੋਏ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਖੰਡ ਪਾਠ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦਾ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਖੁਰਾਲਗੜ੍ਹ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਵਿਖੇ 6 ਦਸੰਬਰ ਨੂੰ ਪਵੇਗਾ ਭੋਗ pic.twitter.com/GRg4GcrqSO
The four Shobha Yatras will cover a large geographical area before converging at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib on December 3.
The first procession will begin from the saint's birthplace, Varanasi in UP, on November 30 and pass through Kanpur, Delhi, Ambala, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar and Rupnagar.
The second will start from Faridkot on December 2 and travel through Ferozepur, Moga, Ludhiana, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Garhshankar before reaching Sri Khuralgarh Sahib.
The third will start from Bathinda on December 1 and pass through Barnala, Mansa, Lehragaga, Sangrur, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Morinda and Rupnagar.
The fourth will begin from Jammu on November 30 and travel through Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur before joining the other processions at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib.
Following the convergence on December 3, Sri Akhand Path Sahib will begin on December 4, with the Bhog ceremony scheduled for December 6.
The government has already launched a series of programmes around the 650th Parkash Purab, including drone shows, academic seminars, school essay competitions, discussions on Guru Ravidas's teachings and Kirtan Darbars across Punjab.
Why It Matters Ahead Of 2027
The timing and scale of the celebrations have an obvious political backdrop. The 650th Parkash Purab falls just months before the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, putting the Ravidassia community and its religious institutions in sharper focus for political parties.
AAP's decision to organise four yatras covering Punjab's major regions, along with routes originating from Varanasi and Jammu, gives the government a statewide as well as inter-state outreach platform.
The programme also comes amid increasing competition among political parties to strengthen their connect with Dalit and Ravidassia voters.
The BJP, Congress, SAD and AAP have all been seeking greater engagement with influential religious and social institutions associated with the community. The BJP is already running four yatras on the theme of fighting drug abuse.
For the Mann government, the celebrations offer an opportunity to highlight its cultural and religious initiatives while taking the message of Guru Ravidas's teachings to villages and cities across Punjab.
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