Ramdeoji Temple at Sojat City

• About Sojat City

  Among all the revered shrines of Rajasthan, one temple that is remarkable for the number of pilgrims, which attracts devotees, is Shri Ramdeoji temple. This temple is located in Ramdevra in Runicha near the Pokran in Jaisalmer district. A Ramdeoji temple is a wonderful pilgrim centre, which symbolizes national unity and communal harmony as devotees of all religion come here to pay homage. Shri. Ramdeoji is believed to have been incarnated on earth for the benefit of humanity.

  

  Baba Ramdeoji is a local folk deity of Rajasthan. He worked for the welfare of society irrespective of cast and creed. Muslims called him as a Pir and Hindus and other community calls him as a Baba. He was the saint of the fifteenth century, who devoted all his life to the uplift of the downtrodden. He passed on the message to the society that there is no difference between a Hindu and Muslim.

  Ram deoji was a Tanwar Rajput. He was born in the village Ranuja (now RamDevra) in Rajasthan. His father was Raja Ajmal Dev. Hindus regard him as an incarnation of Lord Krishna and Muslims venetrate him as Ramshah Pir. Ramdeoji is said to have had miraculous powers, and so his fame reached far and wide. Legends (Saints) from Mecca came to test his power. After being convinced, all these Pir paid their homage to Ramdeoji. Since then, he is also venerated by Muslims as Ram Shah Pur or Rama Peer.

  Around the grave of Ramdeoji, a magnificent temple called Ramdevra was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner in 1931 A.D. The Devotes shout the slogans here like ‘Baba Ram Sa Pir ki Jai’ and “Jai Babaree’ on their way to the Ramdevra. The wooden toy horses covered with the cloth are the most common and popular offering at the Ramdeoji temple. Devotees also pray at the Masuriyai in Jodhpur where the shrine of Baba’s Guru Baba Balinath is located, before leaving for Ramdevra.

  Baba Ramdeoji believed in the equality of all human beings both high and low, rich and poor. Ramdeoji baba helped the down trodden by granting them their wishes. Often, Baba Ramdeoji is depected on the back of the horse. The work ship of the Ramdeoji crosses beyond the Hindu Muslim divide as well as crossing the caste line since his follower includes caste Hindus and the castles Dalits.

  Thousands of people from different parts of the state (Haryana, Madhypradesh, Gujarat, and many other states) visit the temple on the foot to pay respect to Baba Ramdeoji. Roads in Pali, Ajmer, Jodhpur, and Sirohi get flooded with Padyatris and Jatrus on motor cycles and cycles. The devotes of Ramdeoji Pir offer coconuts, rice, churma and wooden toys.

  In the Ramdevra, the main attraction is the Samadhi Mandir, The temple of Ramapir, which includes the Samadhis of his parents, which includes King Ajmali and the Queen Mata Meenaldevi. The other Samadhis are also of his grandfather Raja Ranjitsingh and his elder brother Viramdevji and the two sons of Ramdeoji. There are also some other samadhis of his close family relations of Ramdeoji.

  The other places of interest are Panch Peepli, Parcha –Vav, Palace of Ajmali in Pokran, Dhuni of Baba Balnath, Guru of Baba Ramdeoji, and cave of Bhairavsaingh. To reach ramdeoji temple or Ramdevra form either Jodhpur or Bikaner in Rajasthan by rail or road to Pokran in Jaisalmer District. Ramdevra is 12km from the Pokran.

  The local people, still travels on camels, bullock carts or also on the foot. During the Ramdeoji Fair, special buses and trains go from as far as Madhypradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashatra. In addition, there are daily buses from Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer to Ramdevra.