Jalandhar, July 18 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a special direct train service from Chheharta in Amritsar to Seer Govardhanpur in Varanasi, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the Ravidassia community ahead of the 650th birth anniversary celebrations of Sant Ravidas.

The train service, aimed at facilitating the pilgrimage of devotees to Sant Ravidas' birthplace, was flagged off in the presence of Sant Niranjan Dass, head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, a prominent spiritual centre of the Ravidassia community in Punjab.

The Prime Minister's visit marked his second trip to Jalandhar within six months, underlining the growing importance of the community in Punjab's socio-political landscape. Addressing the gathering, Modi ...