Sacred Rhythms: The Bhakti and Sufi Movements of Spiritual Awakening (12th to 18th century)
The Bhakti and Sufi movements were amongst the most important movements of medieval India, influencing every spiritual, social, and cultural aspect. The Bhakti movement and the Sufi movement had a concern for personal devotion, mysticism, and love for the divine, which crossed the barriers between formal rituals and institutionalized religion. They emphasized monotheism, a personal relationship with God, and hostility to caste and classes. Here is a synopsis of the Bhakti and Sufi movement, stated in bullet form, and focussed around some of the striking features of their initiation, growth, doctrines, influence, and preachers.
The Bhakti Movement
Causes and Conception: The term “Bhakti” is derived from the Sanskrit term “Bhaj”, meaning love or devotion of the divine.
The Bhakti movement originated in South India, during the 7th-12th century with the Nayanars (who worshiped Shiva) and Alvars (who worshiped Vishnu).
Further north, in 12th-18th century India, the movement took different forms throughout various regions.
Causes for the Bhakti Movement
Reaction to Brahmanical Orthodoxy : The Bhakti movement was the backlash of caste system rigidity and ritualism common in Hindu society, pushing away the common man.
Social Upheavals: The political instability of medieval times due to foreign invasions and the emergence of Islam created the necessity for spiritual reformation and introspection.
Spiritual Hunger: The masses desired spiritual satisfaction and immediacy with the holy beyond the rituals of institutionalized religion.
Philosophies and Teachings
Intimacy with God: Bhakti preachers emphasized intense personal love (bhakti) than the ritualistic practice and sacrifice that had been codified in the Vedas.
God Unity: Bhakti spirituality believes in the unity of God, though they may worship at the feet of Vishnu or Shiva or an unmanifest deity (nirguna).
Rejection of Rituals and Idol Worship: Some Bhakti saints, who were primarily from the Nirguna school, refused to worship idols and perform long rituals.
Equality and Anti-Caste Sentiment: Bhakti saints publicly encouraged people to reject the caste system while asserting equality. They preached that devotion to God was open to all segments of society regardless of caste or gender.
Love and Compassion: The very essence of Bhakti was love, compassion and self-abnegation for God. This love was believed to be the best method for attaining salvation.
Schools of Bhakti
Saguna Bhakti: It is the worship of a deity in a particular form. The personalities of Tulsidas (Rama), Mirabai (Krishna) and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (Krishna) are the classic examples of this.
Nirguna Bhakti: Worship of an amorphous and abstract divinity. Kabir and Guru Nanak, both opposed to the idol worships of particular gods, were its votaries.
Major Saints of the Bhakti Movement
Ramanuja (1017-1137 AD): One of the earliest philosophers to enunciate the philosophy of Vishishtadvaita, delineating the worship of Vishnu.
Kabir (1440-1518 AD): Professional weaver but profound in his teachings which do not allow the oneness of God and ritualism to be. He is credited both by Hindus and Muslims.
Ramananda (14th Century): This is a Bhakti saint of North India. He made devotion to Rama the fad of the people and included all castes in the fold of his discipleship.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 AD): A Krishna devotee and founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, the emphasis of his teachings focused on pure love and devotion to Krishna.
Tulsidas (1532-1623 AD): The author of the “Ramcharitmanas,” he reinterpreted the life of Lord Rama for the masses through the vernacular language to popularize the cult of Rama.
Mirabai (1498-1547 AD): Mirabai was the Rajput princess who wrote such great devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna that she became one of the greatest women saints of the Bhakti movement.
Guru Nanak (1469-1539 AD): He founded Sikhism and preached the oneness of God and condemned the ritualistic practices prevalent in the caste system.
Impact of the Bhakti Movement
Relevant to the theme of Religious Harmony : The Bhakti movement bridged the gap between Hindus and Muslims by talking about the commonality of all faiths and emphasizing there is actually one God.
Promotion of Vernacular Languages : The saints such as Kabir, Tulsidas, and Mirabai wrote their devotional poetry in regional languages so that spiritual teaching reached more common people.
Social Equality: The philosophy shattered the hierarchical order of the caste system and provided the lower castes with their deserved pride through asserting that God’s love transcends all social lines.
Literature and Music: Bhakti saints who were magnificent poets and minstrels added much to the regional languages in terms of devotional literature and music.
II. The Sufi Movement
Origins and Meaning
The term Sufi is believed to be derived from “Suf,” or wool, referring to simple woolen garb with which early Sufi mystics dressed.
The movement, a reaction to the materialism of the Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th century, went from the Islamic world to India in the 11th and 12th centuries via Persian and Central Asian influences.
Philosophy and Teachings
Love and Devotion: Sufism believes that only love and devotion to God can be the path to spiritual enlightenment. The universal divine love; Sufis believe that God resides in every human being.
Mysticism and Inner Experience: Personal, inner experience (mysticism) for closeness with God is emphasized. The means of getting it often result in meditation, prayer, and self-discipline.
Universal Brotherhood: Sufis do not believe in religious and social distinctions. According to them, God makes no difference between caste, creed, or religion.
Tolerance and Pluralism: Sufism promotes understanding and acceptance of other religions and traditions. It believes that there are multiple ways for the divine, with no one path considered superior to others.
Asceticism and Renunciation: Most of the Sufi saints practiced the policy of asceticism, renouncing worldly pleasure to attain spiritual purity.
Sufi Orders (Silsilas)
Chishti Order : This was one of the most widespread Sufi orders in India. This order was keen on following the principles of love, charity, and service to humanity. Great saints of this order are Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Nizamuddin Auliya, and Baba Farid.
Suhrawardi Order: It was founded by Shahabuddin Suhrawardi and was more organized and collaborated with the state as well as political forces .
Qadiri Order: It was founded by Abdul Qadir Gilani. In this Order, more importance was given to humility, divine guidance and personal experience of divine love.
Naqshbandi Order: It was more conservative in nature and gave much importance to following the law of Islam (Sharia). However, simultaneously, it focused on developing personal spiritual growth.
Important Sufi Saints
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1141-1236 AD): He founded the Chishti order in India and is known for his message of love, tolerance, and service. His shrine in Ajmer is a major pilgrimage site.
Nizamuddin Auliya (1238-1325 AD): A disciple of Fariduddin Ganjshakar, he was a prominent Chishti saint in Delhi. His teachings stressed love for humanity and the rejection of materialism.
Baba Farid (1173-1266 AD): He was a Sufi saint of the Chishti order. He preached love, humility, and devotion towards God. His compositions feature in the holy scripture for Sikh people called the Guru Granth Sahib.
Sheikh Salim Chishti (1478-1572 AD): He is that powerful Sufi saint of the Chishti order who existed in the times of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Akbar held great reverence for him and constructed Fatehpur Sikri.
Sufi Prayers
Zikr (Remembrance of God): It is the reciting of divine names and verses of Quran for spiritual elevation and closeness to God.
Sama (Spiritual Music and Dance): Sufis use music and dance, including the whirling dervishes, as an expression of devotion to go closer to the divine power.
Khanqahs: Sufi lodges where devotees congregate for spiritual learning, meditation, and community living.
Dargahs (Shrines): Shrines built over the tombs of Sufi saints. Devotees visit these dargahs and perform prayers over them seeking their blessings. Most of these dargahs blossomed into religious centers with devotees of all communities.
Impact of the Sufi Movement
Religious Harmony : Sufi saints worked for generating communal harmony and reconciliation of Hindus and Muslims. Their sermon of love and goodwill for all humanity struck the hearts of people from all walks of faith.
Syncretism: The Sufi movement led to the amalgamation of Islamic and Hindu cultures. Support for this is observed in that the syncretic traditions expanded during such times, for example when Hindus and Muslims both began venerating the Sufi saints.
Regional Languages: There is a development of regional languages with Sufi literature and poetry and songs being rendered in regional languages and dialects. Vernacular literature grows in Hindi, Punjabi and Bengali.
Indian Classical and Bhakti Music: Sufi movement had a deep influence on Indian classical and devotional music. Qawwali, the Sufi devotional music, was an integral part of the Indian musical cultural heritage.
III. Differences between Bhakti and Sufi Movements
Devotional Mysticism: In the case of Bhakti and Sufi movements, devotion and personal love for God were considered more prominent than rituals.
They rejected the caste (Bhakti) and class (Sufi) rigid social hierarchies and professed equality.
The two movements propagated the idea of oneness of man and advocated for tolerance and social harmony.
Saints from both the movements used vernacular languages to compose their teachings in the form of regional language; hence, making the message reach common people.
Impact on Society: Both movements challenged the religious orthodoxy of their time and fostered greater social and religious reforms.
Conclusion:-
Although the Bhakti and Sufi movements take root in different religious contexts-in Hinduism and Islam-they both point to basic principles common to love, devotion, and equality. Their influence is seen in Indian society, culture, and religion as they encouraged higher levels of religious tolerance, broke down previously immune social barriers, and enriched the devotional music and literature of India. Both of the movements proclaimed that there is no true spirituality in mere rituals or formalities but rather in the direct loving relationship of the individual with the divine, a message alive not only over time but across faiths.
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