Ramdev Pir

Baba Ramdev ()(or Ramdevji, or Ramdeo Pir, Ramsha Pir) (1352–1385 AD; V.S. 1409–1442) is a Hindu folk deity of Rajasthan, India. He was a fourteenth-century ruler, said to have miraculous powers, who devoted his life to the upliftment of the downtrodden and poor people of society. He is worshiped by many social groups of India as Ishta-deva.
Background.
King Ajmal (Ajaishinh) married Queen Minaldevi, daughter of Pamji Bhati of Chhahan Baru village. The childless king went to Dwaraka and pleaded with Krishna about his wish to have a child like him. They had two sons, the elder Viramdev and the younger Ramdev. Ramdev was born on Bhadra Shukla Dooj in V.S. 1405 in a Rajput family at Ramderiya, Undu and Kashmir in Barmer district.
Ramdev believed in the equality of all human beings, be they high or low, rich or poor. He helped the down-trodden by granting them their wishes. He is often depicted on horseback. His followers are spread across in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, Mumbai, Delhi and also in Sindh in Pakistan. Several fairs in Rajasthan are held to commemorate him. Temples in his name are found in many states of India.
Story of King Ajmal.
As per folklore, King Ajmal Tanwar, a descendant of Anangpal Tomar II of Delhi, was the king of Pokaran. His wife, Rani Mainaldevi, was the daughter of the king of Jaisalmer. After becoming the king of Pokhran, Ajmal had only two daughters, Lasa and Saguna. One day the king was on a tour of his kingdom. It was monsoon, yet the kingdom had not received any rainfall. On his tour, the king met a few farmers who were on their way to their farms to sow seeds. On seeing the king, they began to return to their homes. Surprised at this act, the king asked farmers the reason for their behavior. When assured that no harm would come to them if they told the truth, the farmers told the king that they believed that seeing a barren king's face while on their way to their fields might cause their crops to fail. Ajmal was very sad upon hearing this. Being a devotee of Krishna, the king decided to go to the lord's palace in Dwarika.
Ajmal arrived at Dwarka and prayed for many days. Ultimately, in sheer disappointment, he asked Krishna's image the reason for deserving such sorrow. The image did not respond to the king's repeated queries. Angered and enraged at this, the king threw a dried laddu at the head of the image. The priest of the temple, considering the king to be mad, asked the king to go to the mystic Dwaraka to speak to the Lord. Dwaraka, swallowed by the sea many centuries prior, lay on the bed of the Arabian Sea. The unfearing king dived into the sea to meet the Lord. Pleased at the king's dedication and faith, the Lord granted him a boon. The king asked for Krishna to be born as his son. Lord promised to come in the king's house. Soon thereafter, the royal couple gave birth to the boy, whom they named Bhiramdev. After a few years, Krishna took a small form and appeared next to Bhiramdev. Muslims venerate Ramdev as "Ramshah Pir" or "Rama Shah Peer". He was said to have had miraculous powers and his fame reached far and wide. Legend has it that five Pirs from Mecca came to test Ramdev's powers. Ramdev welcomed them, and requested them to have lunch with him. The Pirs declined, saying that they ate only with their personal utensils, which were in Mecca. At this, Ramdev smiled and said look your utensils are coming and they saw that their eating bowls were coming flying in air from Mecca. After being convinced of his abilities and powers, they paid their homage to him and named him Rama Shah Peer. The five Pirs, who came to test his powers, were so impressed by him that they decided to stay with him. Their graves are located near Ramdev's "samadhi". 
Samadhi and Main Temple in Ramdevra.
Ramdev took Samadhi at Ramdevra (10 km from Pokhran) in Rajasthan, on Bhadrapada Shukla Ekadashi in V.S. 1442 at the age of 37 years. 
Dalibai, his ardent follower from the Meghwal community, is also buried near his grave and is said to have taken Samadhi two days before Ramdev.
The temple complex housing the resting place of Ramdev is located at Ramdevra (10 km from Pokhran) in Rajasthan. The present temple structure was built around Ramdev's final resting place by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner in 1931.
The complex also houses Samadhis of his disciples like Dalibai and some other of his chief disciples. The complex also houses the tombs of five Muslim Pirs, who had come from Mecca. It also houses a step-well, the water of which devotees believe has healing powers.
Ramdev Jayanti.
Ramdev Jayanti, the birth date of Ramdev, is celebrated every year in India by his devotees. It falls on Dooj (the second day) of Shukla paksha of Bhadrapad month of Hindu calendar. In Rajasthan, this day is observed as a public holiday and a fair is held at the Ramdevra temple, where hundreds of thousands of devotees, both Hindu and Muslim, take part and pay their homage to Samadhi at the main temple.
Other Temples in India.
One big temple is built in the Arathi village of Kheralu Taluka in the Mehsana district of Gujarat by saint Shri Velji Bapa along with a Sadhanashram to provide people a medium to improve their spirit.
Gujarat.
Apart from Rajasthan, Ramdev has a strong Hindu following in Kathiawar and Kutch in Gujarat. A mystical festival called "Mandap" is also held in villages across Kathiawar to worship him. The highlight of the festival is an event in which a long (almost 60 feet or more in height) wooden log, called the Stambha, is decorated and laid on the ground with a loose base, with eight ropes tied to it from eight directions. Several rites and rituals are performed for about a month. At a certain time and date, the Stambha stands up. The eight ropes are loosely tied in eight nails that are driven in the ground. Lakhs of devotees flock this festival of "Mandap" to have a darshana of the event. The Stambha stands erect for exactly a day and returns to its original position 24 hours later. It is believed that Ramdev himself appears in the Stambha.
Maharashtra.
Other temples are in various other districts like Wardha, Jalna, Aurangabad, and Dhamangaon.
Shri Ramdev pir temple, Pakistan.
The Temple of Rama Pir is located in Tando Allahyar, Sindh, Pakistan. The annual festival of Ramapir Temple Tando Allahyar is the second largest pilgrimage sites for the Hindus in Pakistan. Every year in the Hindu month of Bhadrapad, 3 days celebrations are arranged by Ramapir Sheva Mandli.
Legend.
According to a legend, about 150 years ago, a man of the Khatri community of Tando Allahyar took a vow that if he was blessed with a son, he would arrange "mela" (fair) of Rama Pir. His wish was fulfilled. The man brought an earthen lamp from the original temple of Rama Pir in Rajasthan to Tando Allahyar and built a temple. During the "mela," people carry flags in their hands and recite b"hajans" whole night sitting outside the city, and early in the morning at 5:00 AM they hoist the Dhaja (flag) at the temple by dancing on the beat of drums and trumpets. Thousands of devotees travel on foot to pay homage to Rama Pir. Although Ramdev was cremated in Rajasthan, he had come to Tando Allahyar and his devotees had constructed a temple in his memory at the place where he had worshiped as far back as 1800. Since then, a fair is held at the Rama Pir temple by his devotees every year. There is also a temple of Ramdev Pir in Chelhar, Sindh, Pakistan. It is thought that the horse of Baba Ramdev Pir used to feed and rest up there.
Media.
A Rajasthani language film based on the life of Ramdev, "Baba Ramdev", was made in the 1960s. The movie was a commercial success.
Gujarati language film Jay Ramdev Pir was based on the life of Ramdev Pir.
"Gopal Bajaj" is a singer and musician from Hyderabad, best known for his performances for many Ramdevji bhajans.
"24 Banis" are considered as famous literature composed by Ramdev. Many poets and followers like Harji Bhati, Raja Mansinh, Likhmauji Mali, Vijoji Sani, Hiranand Mali, Devshi Mali and Rani Rupande composed folk-tales about him which are still sung by his followers.
Folklore.
One day, young Ramdev wanted to play with a toy horse. His father gave a toymaker sandalwood and new cloth to make a wooden horse. The toymaker, however, stole most of the new cloth for his wife, and made the wooden horse from a piece of old cloth, with only a cover from new cloth. When Ramdev sat on the horse it began to fly and disappeared into the sky along with the child. Ramdev's parents got angry with the toymaker and imprisoned him. Shortly afterward, Ramdev came back along with the horse and accused the toymaker of cheating. The toymaker confessed his crime and begged for forgiveness. Ramdev forgave him and accepted the horse. Wooden toy horses covered with cloth are among the most popular offerings at the temples dedicated to him.