Bootan Mandi – The Flag-bearer of Guru Ravidass and Babasaheb
Ambedkar
Bootan Mandi and its peripheral localities in Jalandhar right
from the Ambedkar Chowk to Satguru Kabir Chowk (Wadala Chowk) on Ambedkar Marg
(Nakodar Road) have, and rightly s, become the unnamed memorials and landmarks
to register and carry forward the lofty ideals and thoughts of the great revolutionary
Guru Ravidass and Babasaheb Ambedkar, one of the greatest sons of India in the
contemporary times. Though I have written much about these matters in my blogs
over the years yet I thought of broaching the subject once again in view of the
forthcoming Guru Ravidass Gurpurab on February 24 and Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Jyanti
on April 14. About this 2 kilometer patch of Ambedkar Marg will become a hub of
celebrations and public events which have increasingly attained a definite
place on the calendar of Jalandhar city. This patch of the Jalandhar-Nakodar
Highway hosts – Ambedkar Chowk, Ambedkar Bhawan, Guru Ravidass Chowk, Guru
Ravidass Dham, Ambedkar Park, Ambedkr Community Centre, Budh Vihar, Guru
Ravidass Mandir, Ambedkar College and Satguru Kabir Chowk
which make the site a
mosaic of lofty ideals of ‘equality and fraternity’ propounded and preached by Guru Ravidass and Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar. One can easily make out the importance and dignity of the place,
Bootan Mandi and its periphery. I am happy to announce that my forthcoming book
‘Bootan Mandi – The Nerve Centre of Dalit Chetna, which is under print, is
scheduled to be released in mid-April, 2024 which would provide more details as
an ‘oral history’.
Guru Ravidass Dham at Bootan Mandi has already been decked as
a bride and solacing spirit of Guru Ravidass’s Vani has filled the air in the
run up the Gurpurab – Shobha Yatra on February 23 and Kirtan Darbar/Sangeet and
Musical Darbar on February 24 are much awaited events by the followers of Guru
Ravidass and the sprawling Mela by the public. Ambedkar Park at Bootan Mandi is
yet another land mark which is the news. The park was thoughtfully planned and
made by the then Mayor of Jalandhar in early 2010s, Surinder Mahey, a worthy
son of the soil. Over the years, partially through the normal wear and tear and
partially by sheer neglect by the municipal authorities, the Park required
urgent and immediate renovation. Some activists and residents of Bootan Mandi
on the initiative and lead of AAP activist Paramjit Mahey, Joint Secretary of
the Intellectual Wing of AAP took up the matter with Minister Balkar Singh and
convinced him to undertake the job of renovation and up-gradation of Ambedkar
Park on priority basis. It is gratifying to note that they succeeded and on the
advice and direction of the Hon’ble Minister Balkar Singh, Municipal
authorities prepared a renovation project at the cost of Rs.1.15 crore and the
formal formal go-ahead was given by the Minister on February 18 at a befitting
but a solemn function at the park itself in the presence of Hon’ble MP, Sushil
Rinku and Hon’ble MLA, Sheetal Angural. While appreciating the initiative and
efforts of Paramjit Mahey in this regard, Minister Balkar Singh said that
Ambedkar Park, in accordance with the high stature of Babasaheb Ambedkar, will
be one of the best parks in Jalandhar. Thanking the Hon’ble Minister, MP and
MLA and also the top hierarchy of Punjab AAP including; Rajwinder Kaur.
Surinder Singh Sodhi, Amritpal Singh spontaneously gathered audience, Paramjit
Mahey said that we should not forget that whatever high positions and all round
prosperity in the community we all were enjoying was due to our savior,
Babasaheb Ambedkar alone. He also mentioned about Ambedkar Government College
which was located in front of the Park across the road was the result of long
struggle of the young activists of Bootan Mandi along with their supporters and
also unstinted efforts of MP Sushil Rinku, a fully devoted young leader of the
community.
With this off the cuff narration, I take the opportunity to
greet you all on the Gurpurab of Guru Ravidass and Naman to Babasaheb Ambedkar.
