13 September 2024
Rajasthan Regional holiday | Friday |
Ramdev Jayanti is observed to commemorate the birthday of Ramdev, a Hindu folk deity of Rajasthan. A fourteenth-century ruler, Ramdev is said to have devoted his life for the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden. It is also believed that he had miraculous powers. Worshipped by many groups in the country as Ishta-deva, he is regarded as an incarnation of Lord Krishna. Ramdev Jayanti is observed on the second day of Shukla Paksha of the Hindu month Bhadrapada. As per the English calendar, it falls in the month of August or September.
Followers celebrate this day with a lot of devotion and dedication. Devotees visit his temples to worship him and offer wooden horse toys with new clothes and special meals. Special prayers are held at Ramdevra temple, the resting place of Ramdev. A mega fest is organised where people from all communities take part.
When it comes to Ramdev, there are a few legends with regard to his miraculous powers. It is said that when he was a child, his father King Ajamal ordered a toymaker to build a wooden horse. The toymaker after taking a hefty amount cheated the king and used a cheaper cloth to cover the wooden toy horse. When Ramdev sat on the wooden horse, the toy horse went up in the air and the cloth disappeared. It is believed that the horse got life due to his powers.
Another legend has it that when a few saints from Mecca refused to have dinner in other utensils, their utensils which were in Mecca were seen flying towards them. Following that episode, Ramdev was known as Ram Shah Peer.