Bhakti Movement in North India- Notes for UPSC

Bhakti Movement in North India

The period from 1375 to 1700 is known as the era of Bhakti movement in North India. During this time, many bhakti saints of different beliefs emerged from various parts of India. Some, like Kabir and Baba Guru Nanak, rejected all orthodox religions. Others, such as Tulsidas and Surdas, accepted the existing beliefs but wanted to make them accessible to all.

We have learnt about the Bhakti saints of South India in the previous article. This article shall focus only on Bhakti movement in North India.

Popular Bhakti Saints of North India

Since the 14^th century, we find literature created by dozens of Saint poets in North India. Varanasi particularly became a centre of new cultural awakening. Poets of vernacular languages like Ramananda, Kabir, Tulasidas and Ravidas resided in Varanasi, and so did the Vaishnav saints like Vallabhacharya.

During Bhakti movements in North India various poets from other areas include Dadu Dayal of Ahmedabad, Mirabai of Chittor(Rajasthan), Shankaradeva of Assam and Surdas of Faridabad(Harayana) have shown their art, like mirabai’s bhajan

1. Kabir (14^th-15^th Century)

Source: Wikipedia

• Kabir was a 15^th-century saint born in a Muslim julahas (weavers) family near Benares. He is one the famous saint during the time of bhakti movements in north India.
• All information about him is from his verses called Sakhis and pad.

Kabir Teachings

1. 1. Complete rejection of major religious traditions.
   2. He ridiculed all forms of external worship of Brahmanical Hinduism and Islam, the pre-eminence of priestly classes and the Caste system.
   3. Bhakti was the only route to salvation.
   4. He believed in a formless supreme God.