An important landmark in the cultural history of
medieval India was the silent revolution in society brought about by a galaxy
of socio-religious reformers, a revolution known as the Bhakti Movement. This
movement was responsible for many rites and rituals associated with the worship
of God by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs of Indian subcontinent. For example, Kirtan
at a Hindu Temple, Qawaali at a Dargah (by Muslims), and singing of Gurbani at
a Gurdwara are all derived from the Bhakti movement of medieval India (800-1700).
The leader of this Hindu revivalist movement was Shankaracharya, a great
thinker and a distinguished philosopher. And this movement was propounded by
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Namadeva, Tukaram, Jayadeva. The movement's major
achievement was its abolition of idol worship.
The leader of the bhakti movement focusing on
the Lord as Rama was Ramananda. Very little is known about him, but he is
believed to have lived in the first half of the 15th century.
He taught that Lord Rama is the supreme Lord, and that salvation could be
attained only through love for and devotion to him, and through the repetition
of his sacred name.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was an ascetic Hindu monk
and social reformer in 16th century Bengal. A great proponent
of loving devotion for God, bhakti yoga, Chaitanya worshiped the Lord in the
form of Krishna.
Sri Ramanuja Acharya was an Indian philosopher
and is recognized as the most important saint of Sri Vaishnavism. Ramananda
brought to North India what Ramanuja did in South India. He raised his voice
against the increasing formalism of the orthodox cult and founded a new school
of Vaishnavism based on the gospel of love and devotion. His most outstanding
contribution is the abolition of distinctions of caste among his followers.
Followers of Bhakti movement in 12th and
13th Century included saints such as Bhagat Namdev, and Saint
Kabir Das, who insisted on the devotional singing of praises of lord through
their own compositions.
Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru and founder of
the Sikhism, too was a Nirguna Bhakti Saint and social reformer. He was opposed
to all distinctions of caste as well as the religious rivalries and rituals. He
preached the unity of God and condemned formalism and ritualism of both Islam
and Hinduism. Guru Nanak's gospel was for all men. He proclaimed their equality
in all respects.
The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
continued to witness the rise of many religious reformers. The exponent of the
Rama cult and the Krishna cult among the Vaishnavas branched off into a number
of sects and creeds. The leading light of the Rama cult was saint-poet
Tulsidas. He was a very great scholar and had made a profound study of Indian
philosophy and literature. His great poem, 'Ramacharitamanasa', popularly
called Tulsi-krita Ramayana is very popular among the Hindu devotees. He set
before the people the image of Sri Rama as all virtuous, all powerful, the Lord
of the World, and the very embodiment of the Supreme Reality (Parabrahma).
The followers of the Krishna cult founded the
Radha Ballabhi sect under Hari Vamsa in 1585 A.D. Sur Das wrote 'Sursagar' in
Brajbhasha, which is full of verses of the charm of Lord Krishna and his
beloved Radha.
Sufism
The terms Sufi, Wali, Darvesh and Faqir are used
for Muslim saints who attempted to achieve development of their intuitive
faculties through ascetic exercises, contemplation, renunciation and
self-denial. By the 12th century A.D., Sufism had become a
universal aspect of Islamic social life as its influence extended over almost
the entire Muslim community.
Sufism represents the inward or esoteric side of
Islam or the mystical dimension of Muslim religion. However, the Sufi saints
transcending all religious and communal distinctions, worked for promoting the
interest of humanity at large. The Sufis were a class of philosophers
remarkable for their religious catholicity. Sufis regarded God as the supreme
beauty and believed that one must admire it, take delight in His thought and
concentrate his attention on Him only. They believed that God is 'Mashuq' and
Sufis are the 'Ashiqs'.
Sufism crystallized itself into various
'Silsilahs' or orders. The 4 most popular among these were Chistis,
Suhrawardis, Qadiriyahs and Naqshbandis.
Sufism took roots in both rural and urban areas
and exercised a deep social, political and cultural influence on the masses. It
rebelled against all forms of religious formalism, orthodoxy, falsehood and
hypocrisy and endeavoured to create a new world order in which spiritual bliss
was the only and the ultimate goal. At a time when struggle for political power
was the prevailing madness, the Sufi saints reminded men of their moral
obligations. To a world torn by strife and conflict they tried to bring peace
and harmony. The most important contribution of Sufism is that it helped to
blunt the edge of Hindu-Muslim prejudices by forging the feelings of solidarity
and brotherhood between these two religious communities.
