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Home , Amir Khusrau, Doha (poetry), Mirabai, New Age Islam

VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.2 Issue 2 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2015 http://www.joell.in

RESEARCH ARTICLE

JUXTAPOSITION AND VARIANCE BETWEEN MOVEMENT AND SUFI MOVEMENT (, , AMIR KHUSRO AND JALALUDDIN ) Nikita Chaudhary

(Student, B.A ( Hons) English 3rd Year, AIESR, Amity University, Noida.)

ABSTRACT

This paper studies the striking differences of the and Sufi movement with highlights of literary works of the outstanding luminaries of the said eras. The prime focus is on the religious and spiritual aspects that are reflected in the hearts of literary works. The philosophic and spiritual delicacies of Kabir’s dohas, Mirabai’s , Amir Khuusro and Jalaluddin Rumi’s prayers are critically depicted with striking quotes.

Article Info: Keywords: Bhakti Movement, Sufi Movement, Spirituality, Religion, , Article Received 15/3/2015 Revised on: 27/4/2015 Accepted on: 29/5/2015

© Copyright VEDA Publication

THE BHAKTI MOVEMENT and rituals associated with the worship of An important milestone in the God in . It did not cultural history of middle age was a demand deep philosophical knowledge, costly silent rebellion in society brought about ceremonies, or difficult rituals. Surrender to by a mass of socio-religious reformers, a God was the only need of true religion. The revolution which was later called as Bhakti Bhakti carried an emotional appeal to Movement which was a remarkable the mind of people. episode of medieval history. It created a The Bhakti Movement had its new awareness in Indian society. The beginning in seventh century CE Tamil religious thought of time came under as new Nadu. In the Southern movement, there influence. Spiritual outlooks of man were were 63 Nayanars or Shaivite devotees enhanced. The culture of the age was who organized and led. They favored freshened with active strength. This devotion to Shiva, and their Avatar movement was responsible for many rites

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VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.2 Issue 2 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2015 http://www.joell.in and believed that true knowledge can be religious hierarchy, at which Brahmins acquired only by worshiping the supreme were the head of this hierarchy. Many power selflessly. It then spread among poets and saints were themselves Karnataka and Maharashtra; by the end of belonged to lower castes when the fifteenth century, it was established in movement developed towards north. and Northern India. The devotional Another similarity was their usage of the movement in northern part of India was local or regional languages of the masses, concentrated on and , who are which was opposite to the sacred said to be the incarnations of Lord Vishnu language of the elite Brahmins, . had. But this did not have any impact on the This practice also came forward from the of Shiva, it did not decline. The Bhakti movement’s focus on inner, magical and movement existed peacefully with the highly personal dedication to the Almighty. other movements in . It aimed at When discussed as a unified whole, the the principle of monotheism that is movement's message was expressed in existence of one God. This took place different ways. during the later half of the medieval The Bhakti movement focusing on period in the (800-1700 Rama as God was started by . A.D). Great epics like and There is much written about him, but it portrays the real essence of is believed that he lived in the first half Bhakti movement. The Vedic scriptures also of the 15th century. Thyagaraja was talk about the concept of pure devotion another representative. He taught that of God. Lord Rama is the supreme Lord, and that The term Bhakti is explained as salvation could be attained only through “devotion” or passionate love for the love for him and devotion to him, and Almighty. Moksha or salvation from rebirth through the repetition of his sacred was not in the following of rules, name. regulations of the society order, it was Vaishnava Bhakti is the devotion to through simple devotion to the Divine. Vishnu and his avatars, such as Krishna. Scholars have been characterized within by Prominent proponents of Vaishnava Bhakti useful distinctions between those poet were: saints who composed verses to highly Ramanujacharya (1017–1137) praise God with namely, “saguna” or with (1199–1278) attributes and, those extolling God Nimbarka (13th Century) without any attributes or form, “nirguna.”. Vallabhacharya (1479–1531) While the differences between these two Srimanta Sankardeva (1449–1568) branches are indeed important, their (1486–1534) overshadowing similarities cannot be Meera (1498- 1557) neglected; both centered on singular The Saiva Siddhanta school was devotion, magical love for God and had found in the south and is a form of major focus on a personal relationship ancient tribes. It incorporates the with the Almighty. Given their belief in teachings of the Shaiva nayanars and the root of personal devotion, poet-saints enlightens the belief that Shiva is were highly conscious of following rituals Brahman and his love is revealed in the as set and maintained by Brahmins. For divine acts of the creation, preservation many, their focus also included the caste and destruction of the universe, and in system which promoted the traditional the liberation of the soul.

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VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.2 Issue 2 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2015 http://www.joell.in

MIRABAI The project will discuss Mirabai’s two famous Mirabai is known for her works as a compositions ‘It’s true I went to the market’ and Hindu poetess. Her date of birth and date of ‘I Am Mad” death are not known clearly, yet researchers “It’s True I went to the Market assume they are 1498 and 1547 respectively. She It’s true I went to the Market was one of the teachers of Bhakti movement and My friend, I went to the market and bought the a significant saint of Vaishnava Bhakti and also Dark One.” was a disciple of Raidas who was also a (I went to the Market, Mirabai, line 1-3) prominent figure in Bhakti movement. Her works Mirabai says: She assumes that her mainly comprised of simple from called Chand family would imagine that she slipped into the (verse) a spiritual song usually composed in market area by the night. Some say it was not simple rhythms in repeating refrains collected in worth to give up all this power and advantage. her Padavli. She gave away her social position, the warmth of Most of her poems are in Rajasthani a family, the link with the hereditary ruler of her and Braj with a dialect of . All her poems area and her right to riches. At this point she no revolve around Lord Krishna, her childhood love, longer speaks to her family. She turns to him and may be the reason was that she was given a says: statue of Krishna, presented by a wandering “Be with me when I lie down; you sadhu. The only theme we see in her works is promised me this is an earlier life.” her immense dedication to Krishna whom she As soon as we read the poem we know considered her husband, her lord, her lover and we are in presence of someone who is her friend is Shri Krishna. The poems are centered unworldly. Not someone who is deeply worldly. on her feelings for Lord Krishna. She knows what this world is like. With All that we know about Meera comes from enormous glance she describes, how she her poetry. Her poetry expresses craving and abandoned her caste, the social roles for a quest of her soul for union with Shri Krishna. At married woman of her time, the conservative times she tells the pain of parting and at other religious establishment, and anyone left over who times the bliss of divine of union. Her devotional believes in the middle road. poems were sung as bhajans and many are still “I am mad with love sung today. Her devotion towards Krishna was And no one understands my plight. Only the wounded infectious. She inspired many to follow the path Understand the agonies of the wounded” of . As Swami Sivananda said: ( I am Mad, Mira Bai, line 1-4) “Mira wafted the fragrance of devotion Addressing others Mirabai says that far and wide. Those who came in contact she had gone mad woman in love of with her were affected by her strong Krishna. And she is in pain which nobody tries current of Prem. Mira was like Lord to understand. She states this situation by Gauranga. She was an embodiment of comparing an injured individual by saying that love and innocence. Her heart was the only the person who is wounded knows temple of devotion. Her face was the what another wounded person feels. Only he lotus-flower of Prem. There was kindness can feel the pain. She further says that she wants in her look, love in her talk, joy in her to meet the beloved and this longing gives discourses, and power in her speech and birth to a fire which is constantly raging in her fervor in her songs.” heart. She also says that only the jeweler Some of her well known poems are ‘I understands the preciousness of a jewel am mad’, ‘That Dark Dweller’, ‘Dark friend, what and not the person who lets it go and can I say?’, ‘Drink the nectar’. And many more. looses it. Mirabai continues that because as 134 Nikita Chaudhary

VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.2 Issue 2 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2015 http://www.joell.in she is stricken by pain, she is walking from live his life, have his conditioning, then one house to another in order to get a cure, we too would behave and act the same. but still she cannot find a doctor who LANGUAGE USED IN MIRA’S POETRY can cure her agony. She says that Hari Mira was born in Merta and after her Krishna, whom she loves so dearly, who is her marriage she spent some lived in Mewar for only master, the time he will come as the some time. She also stayed in Braj and died in doctor, only then her pain will become . In this way she came into contact with less. three regional languages- Marwari, Gujrati and KABIR . The literary language of north India “Watching the grinding stones, the Light then was Braj bhasha, which was also the Kabir Cries Inside the Two Stones, no one language of Krishna literature. In Mira Bai’s survives.” ( Kabir Doha) poems we find a mixture of both Marwari and Saint Kabir sees the friction as the Braj bhasha, though she tended towards the use duality that we live in. He states the grinding of verb forms of Braj bhasha. Therefore the stone in the form of a simile of our mundane structure of her language is closer to Braj lives. Kabir states that heaven and earth, bhasha, though there are ample usages of Good and Bad, Male and Female, High Marwari. Mira Bai did not write to show her and Low - all around us is duality. This poetic talents, nor did she need to show her play of opposites, this Chalti Chakki ( the scholarships. For this reason, her use of words moving mill) consumes everyone in the end derived from Sanskrit is limited. She focused more finally. Kabir says that no one is safe from upon everyday vocabulary. She made frequent in its powerful grip and it is the inevitable use of onomatopoeic words, especially in poems end. Whoever enters this duality is depicting rainy season. Mira used variations of crushed. No one is spared. Kabir admits words to enhance the melody of her poems like because rarely, if ever, does one see the muraliya in place of murali (flute), nirata for oneness, the divinity, behind the duality. nryta (dance). She often used added syllables or “I went on the search for the Bad Guy, word like ‘ri’ or ‘ajri’ in order to fit in line with Bad guy I couldn’t find the melody. Mira believed in Saguna Brahman When I searched my mind, no one is (subjective approach towards god) though in the nastier than me” ( Kabir Doha) company of Saints like Jiv Goswami at , This Doha is about observing one’s she also learnt the meaning and truth about own mind and consciousness. Kabir says Nirgun Brahman (objective approach for the that he searched the world for the bad attainment of God). She always worshipped person. In the quest to find the real evil Krishna instead of Vishnu. But both are reckoned soul, but he couldn’t find the evil person, identical in the real sense by Hindu traditions. no matter where he looked in this vast Besides her love for Krishna she recognizes him world. Then he looked within, at his own as her own husband, thus reflecting a wife thinking process, in his own mind. That’s husband love relationship towards God, she when he found the real evil person, who creates an unparallel example in human history. lived in his consciousness, unchecked. In When we objectively appraise the quality if her other words Kabir meant that when we poems (pads),we find that some consider them accuse someone or condemn another person, not as rich as ’s or ’s pads are. Yet it is our mind that is doing the finger her pads contain agony and simplicity of a pointing. The other person is probably woman which is perceived nowhere else. In that innocent or the victim of his circumstances. respect no other literature or language can be If we possess the convicted person’s body, compared to hers, simplicity and deep invocation

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VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.2 Issue 2 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2015 http://www.joell.in for god are uniquely blended in her writings. In and experienced, that proceeded, fact, Mira created a tradition of her own, which in its origin and its development. Others cannot be easily compared to anyone’s creation have mentioned that Sufism is the strict or literature. effort of the way of , through LANGUAGE USED IN KABIR’S POETRY which the connection of heart to the Kabir lived at the time when the Divine is strengthened. More prosaically, impassioned poetry and deep philosophy of the the Muslim conquests had brought large great Persian mystics, Attar, Sadi, Jalalu'ddin numbers of Christian monks and hermits, Rumi, and Hafiz, had a powerful influence on the especially in Syria and Egypt, under the religious thought of India, he dreamed of rule of . They maintained a restoring this intense and personal Mohammedan efficient spiritual life for centuries after magic with the traditional belief of Brahmanism. the invasion, and many of the especially Hindered the fiery meditation of his heart. pious Muslims who founded Sufism were Hating mere bodily sternness , he was no ascetic, influenced by their techniques and but a married man, the father of a family a methods. circumstance which Hindu legends of the Sufism has a glorious history in monastic type vainly attempt to explain and it India evolving for over a millennia. The was from his heart of the common life that he mystic tradition of gained significant sang his delightful lyrics of divine love. Here his ground spreading from (Iraq) into works collaborate the traditional story of his life. Persia, known as and Again and again he extols the life of home, the today. As the Turkic military leader value and reality of everyday existence, with its territories grew into the Indian Punjab opportunities for love and renunciation. region during 1027 A.D, Sufism became SUFISM more prominent in the Sultanate. Sufism talks about the Truth. And When sprawled with Islam, Sufi its meaning is the selfless experiencing thought, syncretic values, literature, and actualization of truth. Sufism focuses education, and entertainment grew and on practices which intend to go towards since then they have created an enduring the Truth, by means of love, devotion and impact on the presence of dedication. This is called Tarigat, the today. through maritime voyages and trade spiritual path towards God. A Sufi is the Sufi Scholars, poets, and mystics from lover of Truth and by means of love and and Iran became integrated devotion leans towards the Truth, within India by 1204 A.D. the momentum towards the perfection which every being of Islamization in India was strategized and is seeking. As unavoidable by love’s helped by the translation of and jealousy, the Sufi is taken away from all Persian texts (Qu'ran, corpus, Sufi except the Truth. literature) into vernacular languages. Reputed Sufis such as Particularly in rural areas, Sufis helped claim that the tradition first began with Islam spread deeply into prior Ali ibn Abi Talib. Furthermore, Ali is characterized mass. As a result, between the Practitioners of Sufism hold that in its late 12th century (1100–1200 A.D.) and early stages of development Sufism 13th century (1200–1300 A.D.), Sufi effectively referred to nothing more than brotherhoods became firmly coherent in the identification of Islam. According to northern India. one perspective directly from the Qur'an Actualization of divine ethics is which is constantly recited, meditated, Sufism which includes an enlightened inner

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VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.2 Issue 2 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2015 http://www.joell.in being and not proof of intellect; revelation So that no one can say hereafter, and witnessing, not logic. Divine ethics That you are someone, and me someone else.” refers to ethics that transcend social ( Amir Khusro Love Poerty, convention. a way of being that is the Angels have become you, and you me) realization of the attributes of God. In the above lines Amir Khusro says Explaining the Truth is a difficult task as that in love there is no you and me, Words being limited, can never really express the that there are no such differences. Love is perfection of the absolute, the unbound. Thus, for being one. There is no distance between those who are imperfect, words create doubt and the two lovers, they have one soul. A misunderstanding. Yet: if one cannot drink up the soul so pure and full of love. And he entire ocean, one can drink to one’s limit. says that from now onwards, by becoming Many philosophers have spoken boundlessly one, nobody can comment that we are of truth and written volumes , but somehow different. Instead we are two bodies and their efforts never paid . For the Sufi, one soul. We complete each other. philosophers are those who view the “ People think they are alive because Perfection of the Absolute from a limited they have soul in them, perspective; so all they see is part of the But I am alive because I have love in myself, Absolute, not the Infinite in its entirety. And I'm a martyr due to the beloved's It is indeed true that what philosophers affliction, see is correct; nevertheless, it is only a (for, to a lover, nothing is dearer than part of the whole. the affliction brought forth by the Only by the light of the Spiritual Path beloved) .” and the mystic way can the Truth be ( Amir Khusro Love Poerty, I am Alive) discovered. In order for one to truly In the above lines Amir Khusro witness the Perfection of the Absolute, expresses his views on love and life. He one must see with one's inner being, says that throughout the life a person is only which perceives the whole of Reality. This existing by saying that he has soul in him. perceiving happens when one becomes But it is not the truth. To be alive, there superlative, losing one's (partial) existence should be the presence of love in an in the Whole. If the Whole is likened to individual. Amir Khusro says that he is alive the Ocean, and the part to a drop, the because he posses love in himself. Having a Sufi says that observing the Ocean with lover or a dear one who is abode of the eye of a drop is hopeless. However, love and affection is called living and when the drop becomes one with the there is nothing better than that Life is Ocean, it sees the Ocean with the eye of worth living if one has love with him the Ocean. and having just a soul is not called living PROTAGONISTS OF SUFISM it is just existing. Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī RUMI Amir Khusrow “Say, I Am You I am dust particles in sunlight. Khwaja Gharib Nawaaz I am the round sun.” Hazrat Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia ( Rumi Poetry, Say I am You) Ali el-Hujwiri (popularly known in India as This is a very philosophic poem Data Ganj Bakhsh) and from a very religious man who has AMIR KHUSRO a connection to God that is fantastic. “Angel have become you, and you me, Rumi is saying that we are one; we are I am the body, you soul; one with nature, the wind, the sun, and 137 Nikita Chaudhary

VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.2 Issue 2 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2015 http://www.joell.in everything in the world. He further says riddles, songs, , with Persian and that some are given the ability to see Hindawi line alternatively. what cannot be seen by the eyes or Khurau’s poetry is not only the literary what cannot be smelled or felt but they genre, riddles constitute a substantial portion of know without actually knowing. It is a gift his compositions. As is the case with his poetry, beyond what others know or will ever grave doubts have been cast on the authenticitu know in life. When a human realizes his of ’s riddles. He is sensitive and connection and enduring to nature it perceptive to the trends prevalent in the makes them want to honor it because indigenious literary tradition of his time but by that was your beginning and will be your means unique or without parallel. He has become end. From the moment we are born until a symbol of culture. we die. Our spirit and nature are formed LANGUAGE USED IN RUMI’S POETRY from our existence of this world and the Throughout the works by Rumi, language ideals our world teaches us. Some grasp it is discussed in a linguistic sense, he usually and sadly some do not. This man got it employs the Persian “sokhan” which could be and he wanted us to know his thoughts rendered into the English “speech” or “word”. In and ideas. Rumi’s sayings related to “sokhan”, his view of “Birdsong brings relief language’s relation to reality and consciousness is to my longing expressed in his own way. His major contribution I'm just as ecstatic as they are, lies in and Sufism which is but with nothing to say! called Tasawwof. This was mentioned largely in (Rumi Poetry, Birdsong brings relief) poetry, especially through his famous Manasvi. Here Rumi states that he is in This book, the largest mystical exposition in agony and the birds that sing give relief verse, it discusses and offers solutions to many to his longing. He is in pain but when complicated problems in metaphysics, religion, he remembers the beloved, he is in ethics, , etc. Rumi himself is not a ecstasy just like the birds who recall their philosopher of systematic thinking, but he is a loved one. But like the birds have nothing poet with mystical insight into Reality. Therefore, to say apart from singing the pain, he Rumi’s language and its view perhaps are based too cannot say anything to the world. So on his poetic insight and mystical intuition rather he prays to the Universal soul that is than on logical analysis and inference. God to pass relief through his body and Fundamentally, the Manasvi highlights end his longing. many hidden aspects of Sufism and their LANGUAGE USED IN AMIR KHUSRAU’S relationship with the worldly life. Rumi for this POETRY creates a variety of subjects and derives Amir khurau has chosen to show his numerous examples from everyday life. His main deepest languages in Indic Vernacular language subject on the one hand is the relationship he called Hindwai. It was unusual because the between man and God, and on the other learned intellectual immigrants from Iran and between man and man. He apparently believed Central Asia, to which were considered a in Pantheism and portrayed the various stages of disgrace. Amir Khurau dedicated a significant man's evolution in his journey towards the portion of his work to extol the virtues of India, Ultimate. its ancient civilization and the languages. He is The Sufi movement made a valuable proud of his partial Indian origin. Khusrau contribution to Indian society and so did the compositions in Hindwai/Hindi that include dohas, Bhakti saints. The former infused a new liberal outlook within Islam whereas the latter were

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VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.2 Issue 2 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2015 http://www.joell.in engaged in breaking down the barriers within By the fifteenth century Hindi had begun Hinduism. The relation between early Bhakti and to assume a definite shape and Bhakti saints Sufi ideas laid the foundation for more liberal such as Kabir used it extensively. The Bhakti movements of the fifteenth century. Sant Kabir saints believed that salvation can be achieved by and Mira had preached a non-sectarian religion everyone. They made no difference of caste, based on universal love. creed or religion before God. They themselves We see that Bhakti movement focused came from diverse backgrounds. on the message of monotheism that is existence The saints stressed equality, disregarded of one God; it is defined as “devotion” or the caste system and attacked institutionalized passionate love for the Divine. It started in religion. The saints did not confine themselves to seventh century CE Tamil Nadu and then spread purely religious ideas. They advocated social reforms across the whole nation by different saints and too. They opposed sati and female infanticide. teachers. Whereas, Sufism was not originated in Women were encouraged to join kirtans. India. Sufi mystic traditions became more visible The Bhakti movement was a socio- during the 10th and 11th centuries of the Delhi religious movement that opposed religious bigotry Sultanate. It was a part of Islam and started in and social rigidities. It emphasised good character Arabic countries and then influenced India during and pure thinking. At a time when society had the Sultanate. Furthermore is the difference become stagnant, the Bhakti saints infused new between the message both gave and the life and strength. The Bhakti Marg was neither a protagonists of both the movements. Where mass movement, nor was it a social reform Bhakti movement focused on existence of one movement, it was based on the reform of the God and that salvation can be attained by any individual. Every man or woman who became a person, here in Sufism , it focused on the Bhakt was for the salvation of the individual. selfless experiencing and actualization of truth. They awakened a new sense of The Sufis believed in the concept of confidence and attempted to redefine social and Wahdat-ul-Wajud (Unity of Being). The Sufis said religious values. It occupies a significant position that all beings are essentially one. Different in bringing about harmony and friendly religions were somehow similar. This doctrine got relationships between the and Muslims. It popular in India. There was also much exchange stood for intense personal devotion and complete of ideas between the Sufis and Indian. A notable self-surrender to Almighty. It believed in the contribution of the Sufis was their service to the unity of brotherhood of man and equality of all poorer sections of society, the Sufi saints religions. The history of the Bhakti Movement maintained close contact with the common can be seen from the , the people. According to the Sufis, the highest form and the Bhagvad Gita. of devotion to God was the service of mankind. The Sufi Movement had twofold aims: They treated Hindus and Muslims alike. To make their own spiritual peace and to serve Amir Khusro said “Though the Hindu is not like the mankind. Sufism, which started as a reform me in religion, he believes in the same things movement, laid emphasis on free-thinking, liberal that I do”. ideas and pertinence . They believed in the The Sufi movement encouraged equality and equality of all human beings and unity of man. brotherhood. The doctrines of the Sufis were Their concept of unity, brotherhood and the attacked by the orthodoxy. Like the Bhakti saints, humanitarian ideas of the Sufi saints fascinated the Sufi saints contributed greatly to the growth the Indian mind. The Sufi movement proved very of a rich regiona literature. Most of the Sufi helpful in completing the gap between the saints were poets who chose to write in local followers of the two religions and in bringing the languages. Hindus and the Muslims together.

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The liberal ideas and unorthodox reasoning power could not fight their destiny principles of Sufism had a major influence on shortness of life, destruction and decay; people Indian society. Muslims in their attitude and yearned for a peaceful and long life, with some encouraged many Muslim rulers to pursue degree of certainty. They desired their name and kindhearted attitude to their non-Muslim subjects. fame to continue after their deaths. Littérateurs Most Sufi saints preached their teachings in the and poets achieved this through their works. language of common man that contributed The Bhakti movement was embraced by greatly to the evolution of various Indian the masses while the Sufi movement was mostly languages. followed by Muslims. The Bhakti movement of The growth of Bhakti was indeed a part India uses ecstatic singing, chanting, and of the social turmoil and upheaval and the social meditation to bring the follower closer to ferment of the period due to two factors: one Almighthy. In the case of bhakti, the devotee is internal which meant the social impact, internal trying to get closer to the Supreme Being. religious debates and sectarian conflicts, and the In both cases the literature emphasizes reaction against a monistic, closed, environment, poetry, even song, extolling the virtue of God. emotional satisfaction. And the other external. The Often this poetry describes God in very personal internal factor which included the activities of terms, and uses these familiar terms to describe Sufis, due to the Arab traders and others settling the devotee's emotions. The importance of the first in the south and later in the north. The Bhakti and Sufi saints lies in the new atmosphere latter may also account for the late rise of Bhakti created by them which continued to affect the Marg in north India. Rahman says Bhakti can also social, religious and political life of India even in be taken as a revolt against Brahmanical ways. later centuries. Its expression and the language of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT expression differed from person to person, from Grateful acknowledgement is made to my Alvars to , from women saints Mirabai supervisor Dr.Shuchi Agarawal who gave me to Lal Ded, from to Kabir, and from considerable help by means of suggestion, comments Tulsidas to Guru Nanak. As one could infer from and criticism. the writings of the Bhakts, religion was presented WORKS CITED as a matter of experience rather than the [1] A.P Sharma, Mira The Divine Incarnation, (introduction), following of rituals. ISBN 81-7625-319-7, Sarup and Sons, 2002, . The religious fervor of its upsurge and its [2] Bharti Preeti, 15 April 13, Short Essay on Bhakti and Sufi nature, as also the social and cultural dimensions Movement (www.preservearticles.com) [3] Bhakti-Sufi-Divine Madness -A facet from Indo-Islamic of Bhakti has been explored to some extent. But history!!!,18 July 2013. some of its linkages with intellectual activities [4] Islani Mahmood, 18 march 2013, Sufism Movement and cultural movements remain to be inspired Bhakti Movement in India, New Age Islam investigated. [5] (http://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations) [6] Islam, Sirajul (2004).Sufism and Bhakti.USA.ISBN 1-56518- Sufism in fact was not one single system. It 198-0 was as complex as the various trends in medieval [7] Jahannargol, April.2011Growth of Bhakti movement life, society and culture woven together. The [8] Rumi, Selected Poems, Coleman Banks, medieval time was dominated by the mysteries Page(275)(170),ISBN9780-0-14-044953-2, Penguin Classics 1999 ,Great Britain. of life, which the human mind was unable to [9] https:/www.facebook.com/pages/Kabir- fathom. Moreover, the elite and the highly Amritvani/142146029180712 educated did not find any logic or rationality in the running of human and social affairs. And lastly, there was the utter helplessness of humans, who despite their knowledge and

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