Paper I · 3 History of India & AP · APPSC Paper I

3.2.7 Bhakti and Sufi movements notes

8 notes, in reading order.

  1. 3.2.7.1Bhakti movement: origins and features

    The bhakti movement began in Tamil country with the Alvars (Vishnu) and Nayanars (Shiva) and spread across India, stressing personal devotion over ritual and using local languages.

    Standard · 5 min · Full course
  2. 3.2.7.2Vedanta acharyas: Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva and Nimbarka

    Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva and Nimbarka gave Vedanta different readings of the link between the soul and God, and their schools shaped the philosophy behind bhakti.

    Standard · 5 min · Full course
  3. 3.2.7.3Nirguna saints: Kabir, Ravidas and Dadu

    Kabir, Ravidas and Dadu preached a formless (nirguna) God, rejected caste and image worship, and sang in the everyday speech of north India.

    Standard · 5 min · Full course
  4. 3.2.7.4Saguna Bhakti: Ramananda, Vallabha, Surdas, Tulsidas, Chaitanya and Mirabai

    The saguna saints worshipped a God with form, Rama or Krishna, and spread devotional poetry and song in Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Rajasthani and Telugu.

    Standard · 6 min · Full course
  5. 3.2.7.5Bhakti in Maharashtra: Jnaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram

    The Varkari movement of Maharashtra centred on Vithoba of Pandharpur and produced Marathi saint-poets from Jnaneshwar to Tukaram who preached devotion open to all castes.

    Standard · 5 min · Full course
  6. 3.2.7.6Veerashaivism: Basavanna and the Lingayat movement

    In the 12th century Basavanna, a minister of the Kalachuri court at Kalyana, led the Veerashaiva (Lingayat) movement, which rejected caste, ritual pollution and temple worship in favour of the personal Ishtalinga and the dignity of work.

    Standard · 5 min · Full course
  7. 3.2.7.7Sufism: concepts, practices and the silsilas

    Sufism is the mystical strand of Islam: seekers organised in orders (silsilas) around a master (pir) in a hospice (khanqah), and they sought direct love of God through remembrance and music.

    Standard · 5 min · Full course
  8. 3.2.7.8Chishti and Suhrawardi orders in India

    The Chishti order, based on poverty, music and distance from the state, and the Suhrawardi order, which accepted state support, were the two great Sufi orders of the Delhi Sultanate.

    Standard · 5 min · Full course

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