Woman Bhakti Saints


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Woman Bhakti Saints

Woman Bhakti Saints:Bhakti women laid the roots of feminism in India. With sheer bravery, tenacity and their devotion to God, they created an autonomous space for themselves and refused to be tied down by societal norms.

In the 14th century, a Maharashtra woman Janabai becomes a saint-poet with her Bhakti toward Vithoba, the god at Pandharpur Temple. The most well-known woman Bhakti saint of the 15thn century is Mirabia. Mirabia was the wife of the crown prince of Mewar. She was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. When she got married, she insisted on carrying an idol of Krishna to her husband’s house. Mirabai’s in-laws did not like her devotion to Krishna and tried to stop her. She composed various bhajans to express her love and devotion for Krishna. She composed about 1,400 poems in Rajasthani and Gujarati.

ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN 

  • They regarded women as a barrier to the path of salvation. The Bhaktas felt that both gold and women as they signify desire and worldly possession had to be shunned to achieve the path of ultimate salvation.
  • Many of these women had to struggle for acceptance in the largely male dominated movement. Some women Bhaktas were instead householders. Women poet saints also played an important role in the movement.
  • Women were accepted and acknowledged by demonstrating their utter devotion to the divine, their outstanding poetry and stubborn insistence of their spiritual equality 
  • Women Bhaktas wrote of their struggle at home, absent husband, family tensions, restrictions on married life etc. Women also rejected traditional women's roles and societal norms by leaving their husbands and homes and becoming wandering Bhaktas. 
  • WOMEN POETS IN THE BHAKTI MOVEMENT 

  • Women wrote beautiful poetry that has been passed on throughout India. Some of them are: Akkamahadevi also known as Akka or Mahadevi was a devotee of Shiva in the 12th century CE and was a bhakta from the southern region of Karnataka.
  • Her poetry speaks of her frustration with societal norms and the roles that restricted her. They also witness her love for Shiva whom she addressed as Channamallikarjuna
  • Janabai was born in a low caste shudra family in the 13th century. She was sent to work in the upper- caste family of Namdev, one of the most famous bhakti saints. She wrote over 300 poems. All her poems focused on domestic chores and the restrictions she faced as a low- caste woman. 
  • Mirabai or Mira was born into a ruling Rajput family. Mirabai’s poetry is about her love for Lord Krishna since her childhood and considered herself as his bride. Despite her wishes, she was married into another princely family at a young age yet her love and devotion for Lord Krishna continued. Mirabai left her husband and family and went on a pilgrimage to various places associated with her Lord including 

    Brindavan, Krishna’s holy city. Her poetry’s portray her relationship with Krishna in which she is a devoted bride to Krishna and he is ardent in his pursuit of Mira

    Bahinabai’s writings were mostly autobiographical including her childhood, puberty and married life. Despite the conflicts with her husband over her love for Lord Vithoba, another name for Krishna she took her role as wife and her responsibilities towards her husband seriously. 

  • Sahajo Bai: It is generally agreed that she was born in 1683 and died in 1765. In many of her versus she describes the hard work that she goes through grinding corn, carrying water, sweeping and digging. Sahajo’s versus are collected in Sahaj Prakash, the major text of the Chandradas sect. 

  • Sample Questions
    (More Questions for each concept available in Login)
    Question : 1

    _______ was a sixteenth-century mystic poet and devotee of Krishna .

    Right Option : B
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    Question : 2

    In the ____________ century, a Maharashtra woman Janabai becomes a saint-poet with her Bhakti toward Vithoba, the god at Pandharpur Temple.

    Right Option : B
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    Explanation
    Question : 3

    Meerabai was educated or had interests in _______________

    Right Option : D
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