NCERT Notes: Bhakti Movement - Origin, Saints, Timeline [Medieval

Indian History Notes For UPSC]

The term “Bhakti” symbolises devotion or a passionate love for the divine. The Bhakti movement
stresses the mystical union of the individual with God. Although the seeds of Bhakti can be found in the
Vedas, it was not emphasised during the early period. The process of adoration of a personal God
developed during the course of the 6th century BCE, with the rise of the heterodox movements of
Buddhism and Jainism. For instance, under Mahayana Buddhism, the Buddha began to be worshipped in
his gracious (avalokita) form. The worship of Vishnu too started around the same time, which was
popularised to a great extent by the Gupta kings.

Vaishnava and Shaiva devotionalism were given new emphasis and expression by the Alwars and
Nayanars saints of South India in the early medieval period. As per the tradition, there were 12 Alwars
and 63 Nayanars. Using devotion to achieve salvation was a key component of the Bhakti movement
which was started as a religious reformation in medieval India. The period of the 8th to 18th century is
dedicated to the Bhakti movement where a number of saints (Hindu, Muslim, Sikh) evolved as the
messiah of Bhakti (devotion), teaching people the transition of life from normalcy to enlightenment
through salvation.
Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti movement in South India

The development of the popular Bhakti movement took place in south India between the 7th and 12th
centuries CE. It was based on religious equality and broad-based social participation. The Shivaite
Nayannars and the Vaishnavaite Alvars, who preached the Bhakti cult under the Pallavas, Pandyas and
Cholas disregarded the austerities preached by the Jains and the Buddhists. They preached personal
devotion to God as a means of salvation. They disregarded the rigidities of the caste system and carried
the message of love and personal devotion to God to various parts of South India with the help of local
languages.

The Bhakti movement in North India

The Bhakti movement gained importance in the northern parts of the country during the 12th-17th
century CE. The Bhakti movement in north India is sometimes seen as a continuation of the movement
that originated in the south. Despite the similarities in the tradition of the two regions, the idea of Bhakti
varied in terms of the teachings of each of the saints. The northern medieval Bhakti movement was
influenced by the spread of Islam in India. The main features of Islam like belief in one God
(monotheism), equality and brotherhood, and rejection of rituals and class divisions greatly influenced
the Bhakti movement of this era. The movement also brought certain reforms to society.

Origin of Bhakti Movement

Some scholars believe that the rise of the Bhakti movement was a reaction against feudal oppression and
against Rajput-Brahmin domination.

• Another group of scholars believe that the socio-economic changes in the early medieval period
led to the emergence of this movement. During the 13th and 14th centuries, the demand for
goods increased which led to the migration of artisans into cities. The Bhakti movement gained
support from these classes of society as they were not satisfied with the low status given to them
by the Brahmanical system and hence, they turned towards Bhakti since it focussed on equality.

Though there is no single opinion about the origin of the Bhakti movement, there is unanimity of
thought over the fact that the Bhakti movement was based on equality and devotional surrender to a
personally conceived supreme God.

Saguna and Nirguna are the two different ideological streams of the Bhakti movement.

Saguna Nirguna
Saguna represented those poet-saints Nirguna represented those poet-saints who extolled god without
who composed verses extolling a god and beyond all attributes or form. They are also known as
with attributes or form. Monotheistic Bhakti saints.
Tulsidas, Chaitanya, Surdas and
Meera were the main proponents of Nanak and Kabir were the main proponents of Nirguna.
Saguna.
• The Saguna poets were in • The Nirguna poet-saints rejected the supremacy of the
favour of the dominance of Brahmins and all conventions based on caste distinctions
Brahmins and supported the along with the practice of idolatry.
 caste system. • They gave importance to the personal experience with god
• They preached a religion of and even though they called their god using different
surrender and simple faith in names and titles, yet their god was formless, eternal, non-
a personal god while also incarnate and ineffable.
supporting idol worship. • It seemed that their ideas were a synthesis of the three
traditions; the Vaishnava concept of Bhakti, the Nanpanthi
movement and Sufism. Thus, though they had adopted the
notion of Bhakti from Vaishnavism, they gave it a
Nirguna orientation.

Though Saguna and Nirguna are two different ideologies, they have similarities as is evident in their
verses wherein they frequently mention each other's teachings and influence. Such as:

• Both laid stress on a personal relationship with the divine and believed in singular devotion and
love for God.
• Both were against the ritual observances as were encouraged by the Brahman priests, and many
poet-saints, particularly in northern regions, were of low caste lineages.
• Both used the vernacular or regional languages of the masses, as opposed to the sacred language
of Sanskrit of the elite priests. This helped them to transmit their ideas among the various lower
classes.

Salient features of Bhakti Movement

1. The Bhakti movement was based on the principles of monotheism and it generally criticized idol
worship.
2. The Bhakti reformers believed in freedom from the cycle of life and death and preached that
salvation could be attained only by deep devotion and faith in God.
3. They emphasised the importance of self-surrender for obtaining the bliss and grace of God and
also valued the importance of Gurus who acted as guides and preceptors.
4. They preached the principle of universal brotherhood.
5. They were against rituals, pilgrimages and fasts. They strongly opposed the caste system which
divided the people according to their birth.
6. They also emphasised on the singing of hymns with deep devotion and without considering any
language as sacred, they composed poems in the language of the common people.

Alvars and Nayanars of Tamil Nadu

The Alvars and Nayanars led some of the earliest Bhakti movements (c. sixth century).

• Alvars - those who are “immersed” in devotion to Vishnu.

 • Nayanars - those who are devotees of Shiva.
• They travelled from place to place singing hymns in Tamil praising their gods.
• The Alvars and Nayanars initiated a movement of protest against the caste system and the
dominance of Brahmanas or at least attempted to reform the system. This is supported by the fact
that bhaktas or disciples hailed from diverse social backgrounds ranging from Brahmanas to
artisans and cultivators and even from castes considered “untouchable”.
• The Nalayira Divya Prabandham (“Four Thousand Sacred Compositions”) is one of the major
anthologies of compositions of the 12 Alvars collected and compiled in the 10th century
by Nathamuni.
• Tevaram – a collection of the first seven volumes of Tirumurai (Saiva devotional poetry)
contains the work of Tamil poets - Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar.

Prominent Leaders of the Bhakti Movement

Shankaracharya (c. 788 - 820 CE)

• One of the mystic Bhakti poet-saint leaders who gave a new orientation to Hinduism.
• He was born in Kaladi in Kerala. He propounded the Advaita (Monism) philosophy and the idea
of Nirgunabrahman (god without attributes).
• In Advaita, the reality of the world is denied and Brahman is considered the only reality. It is
only Brahman at its base that gives it its reality.
• His famous quotes include, ‘Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya Jivo Brahmatra Naparaha’ meaning,
“The Absolute Spirit is the reality, the world of appearance is Maya” and ‘Ekameva Adviteeyam
Brahma’ meaning, “The absolute is one alone, not two”.
• He laid emphasis on knowledge (gyan) as that can alone lead to salvation.
• Upadesasahasri, Vivekachudamani, Bhaja Govindum Stotra are some of the works authored by
Shankaracharya. He also wrote commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita, the Brahma Sutra and the
Upanishads.
• He set up mathas at Dwarka, Puri, Sringeri and Badrinath.

Ramanuja (c. 1017 - 1137 CE)

• In the 12th century, Ramanuja, who was born at Sriperumbudur near modern Chennai, preached
Vishista Advaitavada (qualified monism). According to him, God is Saguna Brahman (with
attributes) and the creative process including all the objects in creation are real and not illusory
as was held by Shankaracharya. Therefore, according to Ramanuja, God, soul, and matter are
real. However, God is the inner substance and the rest are his attributes.
• In Vishista Advaitavada, the universe and Brahman are considered two equally real entities, as in
dualism, but here the universe is not separate from Brahman but is formed out of Brahman. The
Brahman is considered as a personal god with omniscient qualities who has created the world out
 of his own self. Thus, the world bears to Brahman the relation of the part to the whole, or the
relation of a ‘qualified effect’ to the base (hence qualified monism).
• The famous analogy given for this is the sea and wave - Brahman is the sea and the objects of the
world, both living and nonliving are the waves upon this sea.
• According to Ramanuja, Brahman is an entirely personal god and is considered to be Vishnu or
one of his avatars. He believed that Vishnu has created the world out of his love for humans, and
he also controls the world at every step. He also held that Vishnu has all the qualities of a
personal god - omniscient, omnipotence, etc.
• The difference between Dualism and Vishista Advaita is that “mankind enjoys higher status than
in pure dualistic worship and is nearer to God''. In Vishista Advaita, both the world and Brahman
are considered equally real; they are not considered to be two separate entities as in Dualism.
• Ramanuja advocated prabattimarga or the path of self-surrender to God. He invited downtrodden
people to Vaishnavism and advocated salvation by Bhakti.
• He authored Sribhashya, Vedanta Dipa, Gita Bhasya and Vedantasara.

Madhavacharya (c. 1238 - 1317 CE)

• Madhava from Kannada preached Dvaita or the dualism of Jivatma and Paramatma. According
to his philosophy, the world is not an illusion but a reality and full of real distinction.
• God, soul and matter are unique in nature, and are irreducible to each other.
• He founded the Brahma Sampradaya.
• He considered Brahman and the universe to be two equally real entities that are not related in any
way. The God of dualism is Vishnu who has created the universe, and the universe is separate
from God and in an inferior position to God with no link between the two. Vishnu controls all
worldly affairs and to worship and pray to God is the duty of all persons.

Nimbarka

• He was the younger contemporary of Ramanuja who propounded the Dvaita Advaita philosophy
and the philosophy of Bheda Abheda (difference/non-difference). The Bheda Abheda
philosophy, like Vishista Advaita, also believes that the world and the Brahman are both equally
real and that the world is a part of Brahman. The difference is in emphasis only.
• He was the preacher of Vaishnavite Bhakti in the Telangana region.
• He also founded the Sanak Sampradaya.

Vallabhacharya (c. 1479 - 1531 CE)

• He was born in Benaras to a Telugu Brahmin family. He propagated his doctrine of Bhakti
(devotion) through god Krishna whom he fondly addressed as Shrinath Ji.
• He founded pustimarga (the path of grace) - a path that teaches a devotee how to offer selfless
love and devotion to Shrinath Ji without expecting anything in return but love.
 • He propounded the philosophy of Shudh Advaita (pure monism) which forms the basis of the
pushtimarg devotional practice. Shudh Advaita like Vishista Advaita too indicates that the entire
universe is the manifestation of Brahman. It is like the two sides of the coin, with Brahman as
one side and the universe another side. There is no change - the universe is a part of the coin that
is Brahman. Hence, this is called “Shudh Advaita” because it is said that there is only one and
there is no change.
• He also founded Rudra Sampradaya.
• He along with his disciple Surdas was largely instrumental in popularising the Krishna cult in
north India.

Vidyapati (c. 1352 - 1448 CE)

• Vidyapati was known for his poetry dedicated to Shiva, whom he fondly addressed as Ugna.

The Bhakti Movement in Maharashtra

• The Bhakti movement in Maharashtra centred around the shrine of Vithoba or Vitthal, the
residing deity of Pandharpur, who was considered the manifestation of Krishna. This movement
is also known as the Pandharpur movement and it influenced the social and cultural
developments in Maharashtra. For instance, it led to the development of Marathi literature,
elevated the status of women, helped in breaking caste distinctions, etc. In Maharashtra, the
Bhakti movement drew its inspiration from the Bhagavata Purana and the Shiva Nathpanthis.
• The Bhakti movement is divided into two sects:
o Varakaris - The mild devotees of God Vitthala of Pandharpur, who are more emotional,
theoretical and abstract in their viewpoint.
o Dharakaris - The heroic followers of the cult of Ramadasa, the devotee of God Rama,
who are more rational, concrete and practical in their thoughts.

However, the realisation of God as the highest end of human life is a common aim of both. The great
saints belonging to the Vithoba cult were Jnaneswar/Jnanadeva, Tukaram and Namdeva.

Jnaneswar or Jnanadeva ( c. 1275 - 1296 CE)

• A 13th-century mystical poet-saint of Maharashtra who wrote a commentary of Bhagavad Gita

called Jnaneswari which served as a foundation of the Bhakti ideology in Maharashtra.
• He was strictly against caste distinctions and believed that the only way to attain God was
through Bhakti.
• He also composed “Amritanubhava” (immortal experience), based on the philosophy of the
Upanishads and “Haripatha”, a song admiring Hari (Vishnu).

Namadeva (c. 1270 - 1350)

 • A Maharashtrian saint, who flourished in the first part of the 14th century. Namadeva was a
tailor who is said to have taken to banditry before he became a saint.
• His poetry which was written in Marathi breathes a spirit of intense love and devotion to God.
• He is considered one of the five revered gurus in the Dadupanth tradition within Hinduism, the
other four being Dadu, Kabir, Hardas and Ravidas. It is believed that his Abhangas were
included in the Guru Granth Sahib.
• Namadeva is said to have travelled far and wide and engaged in discussions with Sufi saints at
Delhi.

Sant Eknath (c. 1533 - 1599 CE)

• He was a scholar of Varkari sampradaya and Vaishnavism, the branch of Hinduism that is
characterised by devotion to God Vishnu and his incarnations (avatars).
• He is known to have enriched Marathi literature and had translated various Sanskrit texts into
Marathi.
• He also tried to shift the emphasis of Marathi literature from spiritual to narrative composition
and introduced a new form of Marathi religious song called Bharood.
• He was a family man and emphasised that staying in monasteries or withdrawing from the world
are not necessary for leading a religious life. He was known for resolving conflicts between
householder duties and the demands of religious devotion.
• He was against caste distinctions and spread the message that there was no distinction in God’s
eyes between Brahmin and outcaste or between Hindu and Muslim.

Tukaram (c. 1608 - 1650 CE)

• A 17th-century poet-saint who was a contemporary of Maratha ruler Shivaji Maharaj and saints
like Eknath and Ramdas. His poetry was devoted to Vithoba or Vitthala, an avatar of the Hindu
God, Vishnu.
• He is known for his Abangas (dohas) in Marathi which are a rich heritage of the Gatha -
devotional poetry and was also responsible for creating a background for Maratha nationalism
(Parmaratha).
• He laid emphasis on community-based worship with spiritual songs called Kirtans. He preached
the virtue of piety, forgiveness and peace of mind.

Ramdas (c. 1608 - 1681 CE)

• He was a renowned spiritual Guru and has contributed to building the Maratha empire under
Shivaji.
• He wrote Dasabhoda, a treatise on the Advaita Vedanta in the Marathi language which deals with
a wide range of topics on the spiritual life, characteristics of Guru, the necessity of Guru, the
qualifications of a true disciple, Maya, importance of spiritual disciplines, true and false
 knowledge, bhakti and liberation. His other works are Karunashtaken, Janasvabhavagosanvi and
Manache Sloka.
• He was strictly against caste distinctions and encouraged women to take part in religious work.

Non-Sectarian Bhakti Movement

In the 14th and 15th centuries, Ramananda, Kabir and Nanak emerged as the great proponents of the
Bhakti cult. They helped the common people to shed age-old superstitions and attain salvation through
Bhakti or pure devotion. Unlike the early reformers, they were not linked with any particular religious
creed and were totally against rituals and ceremonies. They condemned polytheism, believed in one God
and were against idolatry. They also laid stress on the fundamental unity of all religions.

Ramananda (c. 1400 - 1476 CE)

• Ramananda was a 15th-century poet-saint who was born at Prayag (Allahabad) and preached his
principles at Benaras and Agra. His followers are called Ramanandis.
• He was originally a follower of Ramanuja. Like other monotheist bhakti saints, he opposed the
caste system and chose his disciples from all sections of society, irrespective of caste. His
disciples were:
o Kabir, a Muslim weaver.
o Sena, a barber.
o Sadhana, a butcher.
o Raidasa, a cobbler.
o Dhanna, a jat farmer.
o Narahari, a goldsmith.
o Pipa, a Rajput prince.
• He is regarded as the founder of the Ram cult in north India as his object of Bhakti was Ram
since he worshipped Ram and Sita.
• He rejected the monopoly of the Sanskrit language over the teachings of religious texts. He
preached in local languages to popularise his teachings.

Kabir

• One of the most famous disciples of Ramananda who belonged to the 15th century. His iconic
verses are found in the Sikh holy scripture, Adi Granth.
• According to tradition, it is believed that he was born near Benaras to a Brahmin widow who
abandoned him after his birth and was brought up in the house of a Muslim weaver.
• He possessed an inquiring mind and while in Benaras learnt much about Hinduism. He became
familiar with Islamic teachings and Ramananda initiated him into the higher knowledge of Hindu
and Muslim religious and philosophical ideas.
 • He strongly denounced idol worship, pilgrimages, rituals, caste system especially the practice of
untouchability and laid great stress on the equality of man before God. The mission of Kabir was
to preach a religion of love that would unite all castes and creeds. He was quite familiar with
yogic practices and regarded devotion to God as an effective means of salvation. He urged his
disciples that to attain salvation one must have a pure heart, free from cruelty, hypocrisy,
dishonesty and insincerity. He considered neither asceticism nor book knowledge important for
true knowledge. He also did not consider it necessary to abandon the life of a householder for the
sake of saintly life.
• Kabir’s object was to reconcile Hindus and Muslims and establish harmony between the two
sects. He emphasised the essential oneness of all religions by describing Hindus and Muslims “as
pots of the same clay”. To him, Rama and Allah, temple and mosque were the same.
• Kabir is regarded as the greatest mystic saint and his followers are called Kabirpanthis. Raidas (a
tanner), Guru Nanak (a Khatri merchant) and Dhanna (a Jat peasant) were some of his important
disciples. Most of the compositions of Kabir are compiled in Bijak.

Also read: Sant Kabir Das Jayanti

Guru Nanak (c. 1469 - 1539 CE)

• The first Sikh Guru and the founder of Sikhism, who was also a Nirguna Bhakti saint and social
reformer.
• He was born in a Khatri family in the village of Talwandi (now called Nankana) on the banks of
the river Tawi in c. 1469 CE. He had a mystic contemplative bent of mind and preferred the
company of saints and sadhus.
• He preached about the unity of God and strongly denounced idol-worship, pilgrimages and other
formal observances of the various faiths. He advocated a middle path in which a spiritual life
could be combined with the duties of the householder.
• “Abide pure amidst the impurities of the world”, was one of his famous sayings.
• He aimed at bridging distinctions between the Hindus and the Muslims in order to create an
atmosphere of peace, goodwill and mutual give and take.

Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis

• They condemned the ritual and other aspects of orthodox religion and the social order, using
simple, logical arguments.
• They encouraged the renunciation of the world.
• To them, the path to salvation lay in meditation and to achieve this they advocated intense
training of the mind and body through practices like yogasanas, breathing exercises and
meditation.

Vaishnavite Movement
 • Apart from the non-sectarian movement led by Kabir and Nanak, the Bhakti movement in north
India developed around the worship of Rama and Krishna, two of the incarnations of God
Vishnu. Tulsidas was a worshipper of Rama and composed an epic poem - the
Ramacharitamanas popularly called “Tulsi Krita Ramayana” in which he portrays Sri Ram as
most virtuous, powerful and the embodiment of the supreme reality (Parambrahma).
• In c. 1585 CE, the followers of the Krishna cult founded the RadhaBallabhi sect under Hari
Vamsa. A popular bhakti saint, Vallabhacharya popularised the Krishna bhakti cult in the
Telangana region. Surdas was a disciple of Vallabhacharya and he popularised the Krishna cult
in north India. He wrote Sursagar in Brajbhasha which is full of verses on the charm of Lord
Krishna and his beloved Radha. Mirabai was a great devotee of Krishna and she became popular
in Rajasthan for her bhajans.
• Chaitanya was another well-known saint and social reformer of Bengal who popularised the
Krishna cult. Chaitanya is said to have travelled all over India, including Vrindavan where he
revived the Krishna cult. He popularized the Sankirtan/kirtan system, group devotional songs
accompanied with ecstatic dancing. He believed that through love and devotion, song and dance,
a devotee can feel the presence of God. The biography of Chaitanya was written by Krishnadas
Kaviraj. He accepted disciples from all classes and castes and his teachings are widely followed
in Bengal even today. He did not reject the scriptures or idol worship though he cannot be
classified as a traditionalist.
• Narsingh Mehta (c. 1414 - 1481 CE) - He was the saint of Gujarat who wrote songs in Gujarati
depicting the love of Radha-Krishna. He authored Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajan,
“Vaishnava jan ko”.
• Saint Tyagaraja (c. 1767 - 1847 CE) - He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of
Carnatic music, who had composed thousands of devotional compositions, mostly in Telugu in
praise of Lord Ram. He is also considered as one of the precious jewels of the Carnatic trinity,
the other two being Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. He composed the famous
Pancharatna Kritis (meaning five gems).
• Tallapaka Annamacharya (c. 1408 - 1503 CE) - He was a pioneer in both devotional music
sankirtans and also in the field of opposition to social evils such as the practice of untouchability.
He was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateshwara.

Know more about Sufism in the linked article.

Women in the Bhakti Movement

Women poet-saints also played an important role in the Bhakti movement and many of these women
saints had to strive harder to gain acceptance within the otherwise largely male-dominated movement. In
many cases, the women saints rejected traditional women’s roles and societal norms and left their homes
to become wandering bhaktas while in some other instances, they got involved in the Bhakti movement
while performing their household duties.
Some of the prominent female bhaktas are:

1. Akkamahadevi - A 12th-century bhakti saint who belonged to the southern region of Karnataka.
She earned the title “Akka” meaning elder sister from great philosophers of her time -
Basavanna, Prabhu Deva, Madivalayya and Chenna Basavanna. She was an ardent devotee of
Shiva.
2. Janabai - She was born into the Shudra caste, around the 13th century. She worked in the
household of saint Namdeva, one of the most respected Bhakti saints. Though she had no formal
education, she composed over 300 poems, mostly pertaining to her life - domestic chores or
about the restrictions she faced being a low caste woman.
3. Mira bai or Mira - Mira belonged to a high class ruling Rajput family and was married to the
son of Rana Sanga of Mewar at an early age but she left her husband and family and went on a
pilgrimage to various places. Her poetry portrays a unique relationship with Lord Krishna as she
is not only being portrayed as the devotee bride of Krishna, but Krishna is also portrayed as in
pursuit of Mira.
4. Bahinabai or Bahina - A 17th-century poet-saint of Maharashtra, who wrote different abhangas,
women’s folk songs that portray the working life of women especially in the fields.
5. Andal:
1. Only female Alwar
2. Andal saw herself as the beloved of Vishnu; her verses express her devotional love for
the deity.
6. Karaikkal Ammaiyar
1. One of the 3 women Nayanars amongst the 63 Nayanars
2. This devotee of Shiva adopted the path of asceticism in order to attain her goal.

Sikh Movement

The Sikh religion was founded by saint Guru Nanak in the medieval period. It started as a minor religion
but developed into a prominent one over the centuries. The ten recognised living Gurus in the Nanak
line were -

Guru Nanak (c. 1469 - 1539 CE)

• He was the founder of Sikhism. He was born in Talwandi near Lahore.

• He preached - God is supreme, all-powerful, formless, fearless, universal, self-existent,
everlasting, creator of all things, the eternal and absolute truth. He rejected the authority of the
Vedas.
• He was against casteism and rituals like bathing in holy water. He advocated equality of all
human beings irrespective of caste, gender, etc.
 • He encouraged people to live a life of honesty, truth and kindness. He advised people to give up
falsehood, selfishness and hypocrisy. He guided people to follow the principles of conduct and
worship; sach (truth), halal (lawful earning), khair (wishing well for others), niyat (right
intentions) and service to the Lord.
• His philosophy consists of three basic elements - a leading charismatic personality (the Guru),
ideology (Shabad) and organisation (Sangat).
• He denounced idol worship and rejected the theory of incarnation.
• He introduced the concept of langar (community kitchen).
• He conceptualised God as Nirguna (attributeless) and Nirankar (formless).
• His main teachings can be summed up as:
o Faith in one true Lord.
o Worship of the name.
o The necessity of the Guru in the worship of the name.

Know more about Guru Nanak in the linked article.

Guru Angad (c. 1539 - 1552 CE)

• Guru Angad was born with the birth name of Bhai Lehna.
• He standardised and popularised the Gurumukhi script of the Punjabi language.
• He made extensive efforts to spread the teachings of Guru Nanak far and wide. He established
new religious institutions and also opened new schools.
• He popularized and expanded the institution of Guru ka langar.
• He also established the tradition of Mall Akhara for physical as well as spiritual development.

Guru Amar Das (c. 1552 - 1574 CE)

• He strengthened the langar community kitchen system.

• He divided his spiritual empire into 22 parts called Manjis, each under a Sikh, and also Piri
system.
• He asked Akbar to abolish the pilgrims tax (toll tax) for non-Muslims while crossing Yamuna
and Ganges rivers.
• He preached against the sati system of Hindu society, encouraged widow remarriage and asked
the women to discard the purdah (veil worn by women).

Guru Ramdas (c. 1574 - 1581 CE)

• He composed the four Lawans (stanzas) of the Anand Karaj, a distinct marriage code for Sikhs
separate from the orthodox and traditional Vedic system.
• The Mughal emperor Akbar granted him a plot of land where the Harmandir Sahib was later
constructed.
 • He laid the foundation stone of Chak Ramdas of Ramdas Pur, now called Amritsar.
• He strongly denounced superstitions, pilgrimages and the caste system.

Guru Arjun Dev (c. 1581 - 1606 CE)

• He compiled the Adi Granth, i.e.Guru Granth Sahib and installed it at Sri Harmandir Sahib.
• He completed the construction of Taran, Amritsar and Kartarpur.
• He is considered the first martyr of the Sikh religion as he was executed by Jahangir for helping
his rebellious son, Khusrau.

Guru Har Govind (c. 1606 - 1644 CE)

• He fought against rulers Jahangir and Shah Jahan and defeated a Mughal army at Sangrama.
• He was titled “Sachcha Padshah”.
• He transformed Sikhs into a militant community, established the Akal Takht and fortified
Amritsar.
• He was the proprietor of the concept of miri and piri (keeping two knives).

Guru Har Rai (c. 1644 - 1661 CE)

• He gave shelter to Dara Shikoh, brother of Aurangzeb who was his rival to the throne, and thus
was persecuted by Aurangzeb.

Guru Har Kishan (c. 1661 - 1664 CE)

• He became the youngest Guru in Sikhism who succeeded his father Guru Har Rai at the young
age of five. According to tradition, he died at the age of eight due to smallpox, which he
contracted while healing sick people during an epidemic.

Guru Tegh Bahadur (c. 1665 - 1675 CE)

• He appointed Banda Bahadur as the military leader of the Sikhs.

• He is credited with spreading Sikhism to Bihar and Assam.
• He was executed by Aurangzeb, as he revolted against him. He was beheaded before the public
in Delhi's Chandni Chowk in c. 1675 CE. The Sis Ganj Sahib Gurudwara stands at the site of his
martyrdom today.

Guru Gobind Singh (c. 1675 - 1708 CE)

• Last Sikh Guru who was born in Patna and organised the Sikhs as community warriors and
called them Khalsa in c. 1699 CE.
 • Guru Gobind Singh started some practices which were to be followed by Sikhs in order to create
a sense of unity among the Sikhs. These were: initiation through baptism by the double-edged
sword, wearing uncut hair, carrying arms and adopting the epithet Singh as part of the name.
• He compiled the supplementary Granth of Deswan Padshan Ka Granth.
• He selected five persons known as the Panj Pyare (the five beloved), and requested them to
administer the pahul (amrit chakha) to him.
• He passed the Guruship of the Sikhs to the Guru Granth Sahib. He died of complications from
stab wounds inflicted by an Afghan, believed to have been sent by the Mughal governor, Wazir
Khan.

Importance of the Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti movement provided a spur for the development of regional languages such as Hindi,
Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, etc.

• The lower classes rose to a position of great importance.

• The Bhakti movement gave equal importance to men and women.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Bhakti Movement

Who were the propagators of the Bhakti Movement?

One of the leaders of this Hindu revivalist movement was Shankaracharya, a great thinker and a
distinguished philosopher. And this movement was propounded by others like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
Namadeva, Tukaram, Jayadeva.

What were the principles of the bhakti movement?

The main principles of the Bhakti movement were: (1) God is one, (2) To worship God, man should
serve humanity, (3) All men are equal, (4) Worshipping God with devotion is better than performing
religious ceremonies and going on pilgrimages, and (5) Caste distinctions and superstitious practices are
to be given up.