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ARMY PUBLIC SCHOOL RATNUCHAK

SOCIAL STUDIES HOLIDAY HOMEWORK

BY: MANISH ANGURANA CLASS: 7TH B ROLL NO: 18 DATE: 22 OCT 2012

Bhakti movement
The Bhakti movement is a Hindu religious movement in which the main spiritual practice is loving devotion among the Shaivite and Vaishnava saints. The Bhakti movement originated in ancient Tamil Nadu and began to spread to the north during the late medieval ages when north India was under Islamic rule. The Islamic rulers were pressing public to convert religion from Hindu to Isllam. The Bhakti movement was counter to the prevalent caste ideology which was dividing Hinduism. So, the Bhakti movement has its own importance to save Hinduism. There was no grouping of the mystics into Shaiva and Vaishnava devotees as in the south. The movement was spontaneous and the mystics had their own versions of devotional expression. Bhakti initially flourished in South India through the great Vaishnava saints known as the twelve Alvars (6th9th centuries). Shaivism also has its bhakti traditions and during roughly the same period 63 Nayanars (bhakti poets) wrote songs that now form the twelve books of the Tirumurai. Shortly after, and especially from 1500 onwards, a great devotional renaissance swept through the entire sub-continent. The bhakti saints largely rejected the hereditary caste system and its emphasis on prescribed ritual, stressing instead the need for morality, purity of heart and an attitude of selfless service. They expressed their sentiments through song, poetry and music, often attracting thousands of followers. Their preference for the spirit of the law rather than its letter enabled many followers of apparently lower birth to participate. These include a number of famous women saints. The considerable influence of the bhakti saints continues up to the present time. There are numerous bhakti saints associated with the bhakti movement, few of which are: 1. Kabir (1440- 1518) 2. Ravidass (14501520) 3. Tulsidas (1511-1637) 4. Chaitanya (14861534) 5. Surdas (14791584)

Kabir

Kabir was a "truthseeker" who proclaimed the love of God and the brotherhood (and sisterhood) of all human beings. He came from an Islamic heritage and lived in a Muslim-dominated area of north India in the early 15th century. Although Muslim in background, his writings reflects an understanding of God's love and grace consistent with Scripture. A weaver by trade, Kabir wrote poems, songs and proverbs reflecting a keen insight into the relationship between God and humanity. Many of his poems are focused on equality and justice, and often take up themes such as the protection of the oppressed, feeding of the hungry and the rights of women. For the last 500 years, Kabir's writings have been recited by millions of North Indians. These poems and songs are revelations of the True God to the peoples of India. They speak truth about God's love, His salvation, and His hope for all of India.

Ravidass

Guru Ravidass was a North Indian Sant mystic of the bhakti movement who was active in the 15th century. Venerated in the region of Uttar Pradesh as well as the Indian state of Maharashtra, his devotional songs and verses made a lasting impact upon the bhakti movement. He was a socio-religious reformer, a thinker, a theosophist, a humanist, a poet, a traveler, a pacifist and a spiritual figure before whom even headpriests of Benaras lay prostrate to pay homage. He was a shoemaker. His devotional songs were included in the Sikh holy book, the Adi Granth, by the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev. There is also a larger body of hymns passed on independently that is claimed and attributed to Ravidas by some. Ravidas was subversive in that his devotionalism implied a leveling of the social divisions of caste and gender, yet ecumenical in that it tended to promote crossing of sectarian divides in the name of a higher spiritual unity.He taught that one is distinguished not by one's caste (jti) but by one's actions (karma) and that every person has the right to worship God and read holy texts. He opened a frontal attack against the system of Untouchability. He also said that one need not to hide his caste or leave his low profession to reach God. He became a model for his fellow beings to overcome the hierarchical barriers of Brahminical social order and to establish Begumpura - a state without fear and sorrows. Guru Ravidass elevated the status of the labour by emphasizing on the fact that honest labour is empowering.

Tulsidas

Tulsidas was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama. A composer of several popular works, he is best known for being the author of the epic Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayanain the vernacular Awadhi. Tulsidas was acclaimed in his lifetime to be a reincarnation ofValmiki, the composer of the original Ramayana in Sanskrit.He is also considered to be the composer of the Hanuman Chalisa, a popular devotional hymn dedicated to Hanuman, the divine devotee of Rama.Tulsidas lived permanently and died in the city of Varanasi.The Tulsi Ghat in Varnasi is named after him.He founded the Sankatmochan Temple dedicated to Hanuman in Varanasi, believed to stand at the place where he had the sight of Hanuman.Tulsidas started the Ramlila plays, a folk-theatre adaption of the Ramayana.He has been acclaimed as one of the greatest poets in Hindi, Indian, and world literature.The impact of Tulsidas and his works on the art, culture and society in India is widespread and is seen to date in vernacular language, Ramlila plays, Hindustani classical music, popular music, and television series.

Chaitanya
Founder of Bengali Vaishnavism, whose followers express devotion through singing and dancing. He was later considered a dualavatar of Radha and Krishna. His influence still extends through various groups including the Hare Krishna movement. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (was a Vaishnava saint and social reformer in eastern India (specifically present-dayBangladesh and states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur, Assam, and Orissa ofIndia) in the 16th century, worshipped by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the full incarnation of Lord Krishna.Sri Krishna Chaitanya was a notable proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga (meaning loving devotion to Krishna), based on the philosophy of the Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita. Specifically, he worshipped the forms of Krishna, popularised the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra and composed the Siksastakam (eight devotional prayers) in Sanskrit. His line of followers, known as Gaudiya Vaishnavas, revere him as an Avatar of Krishna in the mood of Radharani who was prophesied to appear in the later verses of the Bhagavata Purana.

Surdas
Born blind, he became renowned for his beautiful songs glorifying Krishna. He was a follower of Vallabha. Sant Kavi Surdas was a 15th century blind saint, poet and musician, known for his devotional songs dedicated to Lord Krishna. Surdas is said to have written and composed a hundred thousand songs in his magnum opus the 'Sur Sagar' (Ocean of Melody), out of which only about 8,000 are extant. He is considered a saint and so also known as Sant Surdas, a name which literally means the "slave of melody".The philosophy of Surdas is a reflection of the times. He was very much immersed in the Bhakti movement that was sweeping North India. This movement represented a grass roots spiritual empowerment of the masses.His fame was wide spread though he never left his native land, even the Mughal emperor Akbar paid homage to him.His compositions are in Braj Bhasha a dialect of Hindi that was considered crude at the time. Surdas' works are some of those credited with raising this dialect to a literary status.

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