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Chokhamela
Chokhamela was a saint from Maharashtra, India in the 13th–14th century. He belonged to the Mahar caste, which was considered that time one of the low castes in India. He was born at Mehuna Raja, a village in Deulgaon Raja Taluka of Buldhana district. He lived at Mangalvedha in Maharashtra. He wrote many Abhangas. One of his known Abhangas is 'Abir Gulal Udhlit Rang". Social activist Arvind Prabhakar Kayande Started Celebrating "Chokhamela Festival" in Deulgaon Raja. He was one of the first low-caste poets in India. Life and Family Chokhamela lived with his wife Soyarabai and son Karmamela in Mangalvedha. Chokhamela's task was to guard and work in farms of upper-caste people. His family also followed varkari sect. * Soyarabai - Wife * Nirmala - Sister and her husband Banka (who is brother of Soyarabai) * Karmamela - Son Chokhamela was initiated into bhakti (spirituality) by the poet-saint Namdev (1270-1350 CE). Once when he visited Pandharpur, he listened to San ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Sant Soyarabai
Soyarabai was a saint from the Mahar caste in 14th-century Maharashtra, India. She was a disciple of her husband, Chokhamela. Soyarabai framed large literature using blank verse of her own devising. She wrote much but only about 62 works are known. In her Abhang she refers to herself as Chokhamela's Mahari, accuses god for forgetting Dalits and of making life bad. Her most basic verses concern the simple food she gives the god. Her poems describe her devotion towards god and voice her objections to untouchability. Soyarabai believed that "The body only can be impure or polluted, but the soul is ever clean, pure knowledge. The body is born unclean and so how can anybody claim to be pure in body? The body has much pollution. But the pollution of the body remains in the body. The soul is untouched by it." Soyarabai undertook an annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur with her husband. They were harassed by orthodox Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Vithoba
Vithoba (IAST: ''Viṭhobā''), also known as Vitthala (IAST: ''Viṭṭhala''), and Panduranga (IAST: ''Pāṇḍuraṅga''), is a Hindu deity predominantly worshipped in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is a form of the Hindu deity Vishnu in his avatar: Krishna. Vithoba is often depicted as a dark young boy, standing arms akimbo on a brick, sometimes accompanied by his consort Rakhumai. Vithoba is the focus of an essentially monotheistic, non-ritualistic bhakti-driven Varkari faith in Maharashtra and the Haridasa sect established in Dvaita Vedanta in Karnataka. Vithoba Temple, Pandharpur is his main temple. Vithoba legends revolve around his devotee Pundalik who is credited for bringing the deity to Pandharpur, and around Vithoba's role as a saviour to the poet-saints of the Varkari faith. The Varkari poet-saints are known for their unique genre of devotional lyric, the abhang, dedicated to Vithoba and composed in Marathi. Other devotional literature dedi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Mahar
Mahar is one of the Indian caste found largely in the state of Maharashtra and neighbouring areas. Most of the Mahar community followed B. R. Ambedkar in converting to Buddhism in the middle of the 20th century. As of 2017 the Mahar caste was designated as a Scheduled Caste in 16 Indian states. Most Mahars converted to Buddhism in response to the injustices of the caste system practiced within Brahmanism. Thus, the practice of untouchability began and continued for generations. It was the primary reason for most of the Mahar community to follow Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in embracing Buddhism and re-establishing it in the middle of the 20th century. Most of the Mahar trace their descent (bloodline) from the Mahabharatas Pandava. The Mahar claim to have taken part in the Mahabharata war and subsequently settled in Maharashtra. History The Mahars are considered to be the original inhabitants of Maharashtra. The community is also known as ''Kathiwale'' (Men with Sticks), ''Bumipute ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Warkari
Warkari ( ; Marathi: ; Pronunciation: ; Meaning: 'The one who performs the ''Wari''') is a sampradaya (religious movement) within the bhakti spiritual tradition of Hinduism, geographically associated with the Indian state of Maharashtra. Warkaris worship Vitthal (also known as Vithoba), the presiding deity of Pandharpur, regarded as a form of Vishnu. Saints and gurus of the bhakti movement associated with the Warkaris include Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Chokhamela, Eknath, and Tukaram all of whom are accorded the title of Sant. Recent research has suggested that the Varkaris were historically the followers of Krishna. Vittala is also another name for Krishna. Krishna is referenced as Vittala in most Bhakthi songs of Purandara Dasa and other Bhakti Saints. Influence The Warkari tradition has been part of Hindu culture in Maharashtra since the thirteenth-century CE, when it formed as a ''panth'' (community of people with shared spiritual beliefs and practices) during the Bhakti mov ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Sant Banka
Sant Banka (also known as Wanka was a poet in 14th century Maharashtra, India. He was husband to Nirmala and brother-in-law to Chokhamela. Born in Mehenpuri, Banka was a member of the Mahar caste. ) In most of his abhangs he praised Vitthal in happiness and peace. Infrequently, he described his lower caste birth. As a bhakti ''Bhakti'' (; Pali: ''bhatti'') is a term common in Indian religions which means attachment, fondness for, devotion to, trust, homage, worship, piety, faith, or love.See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. In Indian religions, it ... poet saint from the Mahar caste, Banka raised a voice against untouchability which is very relevant to current Dalit literature. References {{authority control Warkari 14th-century Indian poets Marathi-language poets Dalit literature Hindu poets Poets from Maharashtra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Sant Nirmala
Sant Nirmala was a 14th-century poet from Maharashtra, India. As the younger sister of Chokhamela, she was deemed equally holy with her brother and thus is also deemed a Hindu saint. Nirmala was married to Banka, of the Mahar caste. Her writings consist largely of abhangs that describe the injustice and inequalities she suffered as a result of the caste system. Nirmala regretted worldly married life and reveled in the god of Pandharpur Pandharpur City (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, əɳɖʱəɾpuːɾ is a popular pilgrimage town, on the banks of Chandrabhaga River, Chandrabhagā River, near Solapur, Solapur city in Solapur district, Solapur District, Maharashtra, Ind .... She never mentions her husband, Banka, in her poems. References Warkari 14th-century Indian women writers Marathi-language poets Indian women religious leaders Dalit literature Hindu female religious leaders 14th-century Indian scholars 14th-century Indian poets Women writers fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Varkari
Warkari ( ; Marathi: ; Pronunciation: ; Meaning: 'The one who performs the ''Wari''') is a sampradaya (religious movement) within the bhakti spiritual tradition of Hinduism, geographically associated with the Indian state of Maharashtra. Warkaris worship Vitthal (also known as Vithoba), the presiding deity of Pandharpur, regarded as a form of Vishnu. Saints and gurus of the bhakti movement associated with the Warkaris include Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Chokhamela, Eknath, and Tukaram all of whom are accorded the title of Sant. Recent research has suggested that the Varkaris were historically the followers of Krishna. Vittala is also another name for Krishna. Krishna is referenced as Vittala in most Bhakthi songs of Purandara Dasa and other Bhakti Saints. Influence The Warkari tradition has been part of Hindu culture in Maharashtra since the thirteenth-century CE, when it formed as a ''panth'' (community of people with shared spiritual beliefs and practices) during the Bhakti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Karmamela
Sant Karmamela was a 14th-century poet saint from Maharashtra. He was a son of Chokhamela and Soyarabai who belonged Mahar caste. In his Abhangs he accused God for forgetting and how his life was made miserable as a low caste. He rebelled against varna system. There is at least one Buddhist tradition interested in Karamamela, who was a strong and bitter voice, not suffering his social status with content. Kramamela and his family followed the Bhakti movement. Their Abhang Abhanga is a form of devotional poetry sung in praise of the Hindu god Vitthal, also known as Vithoba. The word "abhang" comes from ''a'' for "non-" and ''bhanga'' for "ending" or "interrupting", in other words, a flawless, continuous process, in ...s comments on that time, on the way to meditate and God's loves for his devotee. These poems resonate with current Dalit poetry, describing criticism of society and beliefs of religion, disbelief in pure doctrine and pollution, and protest for survival. Refer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Mangalvedha
Mangalwedha is a town in the Solapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the birthplace of Shri Jayatirtha, also called Teekacharya, one of the prominent saints of the Dvaita school of Vedanta. Geography The city of Mangalwedha is situated 55 km west of the district headquarters at Solapur and 25 km southeast of Pandharpur city. Mangalwedha shares boundaries with Pandharpur, Sangola, Mohol, Jath, and Bijapur in Karnataka. History Mangalwedha is also known as the "Land of Saints" as Saint Jayatirtha, Saint Damaji, Saint Kanhopatra, Saint Chokhamela, saint Gopabai are said to have come from Mangalwedha during the 14th century. Mangalwedha is also known as Jwariche Kothar. The major crops that are grown in and around Mangalwedha include Jowar, Bajra, groundnut, Sugarcane, and sweetcorn. Mangalwedha's Jowar and Bajra have received geographical indications (GI) tags. In the 14th century, Mangalwedha was ruled by the Bidar Sultanate followed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Pandharpur Vithoba Temple
Pandharpur City (Pronunciation: əɳɖʱəɾpuːɾ is a popular pilgrimage town, on the banks of Chandrabhagā River, near Solapur city in Solapur District, Maharashtra, India. Its administrative area is one of eleven tehsils in the District, and it is an electoral constituency of the state legislative assembly (''''). The Vithoba temple attracts about a million Hindu pilgrims during the major ''yātrā'' (pilgrimage) in Ashadha (June–July). Kasegaon is the largest village in pandharpur talukas. Deshmukh of kasegaon are real warrior of maratha empire of king chatrapati shivaji Maharaj,they followed footsteps of chatrapati shivaji maharaj to spread maratha empire across nearby region. A small temple of Śri Vitthala-Rukmini is also located, which is as old as the main Vitthala-Rukmini Mandir, in Isbavi area of Pandharpur known as Wakhari Va Korti Devalayas and also known as Visava Mandir. The Bhakti Saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is said to have spent 7 days in the city at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Pandharpur
Pandharpur City (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, [pəɳɖʱəɾpuːɾ]) is a popular pilgrimage town, on the banks of Chandrabhaga River, Chandrabhagā River, near Solapur, Solapur city in Solapur district, Solapur District, Maharashtra, India. Its administrative area is one of eleven tehsils in the District, and it is Pandharpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency), an electoral constituency of the state legislative assembly (''vidhan sabha''). The Vithoba Temple, Pandharpur, Vithoba temple attracts about a million Hindu pilgrims during the major ''yātrā'' (pilgrimage) in Ashadha (June–July). Kasegaon is the largest village in pandharpur talukas. Deshmukh of kasegaon are real warrior of maratha empire of king chatrapati shivaji Maharaj,they followed footsteps of chatrapati shivaji maharaj to spread maratha empire across nearby region. A small temple of Śri Vitthala-Rukmini is also located, which is as old as the main Vitthala-Rukmini Mandir, in Isbavi area of Pandharpur known as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Namdev
Namdev (Pronunciation: aːmdeʋ, also transliterated as Nam Dayv, Namdeo, Namadeva, (traditionally, ) was a Marathi Vaishnava saint from Narsi, Hingoli, Maharashtra, Medieval India within the Varkari tradition of Hinduism. He was as a devotee of the deity Vithoba of Pandharpur. Namdev was influenced by Vaishnavism and became widely known in India for his devotional songs set to music (''bhajan-kirtans''). His philosophy contains both ''nirguna brahman'' and ''saguna brahman'' elements, with Vedanta themes. Namdev's legacy is remembered in modern times in the ''Varkari'' tradition, along with those of other ''gurus'', with masses of people walking together in biannual pilgrimages to Pandharpur in Maharashtra. He is also recognised in the North Indian traditions of the Dadu Panthis, Kabir Panthis and Sikhs. Some hymns of Namdev are included in the Guru Granth Sahib. Life Details of the life of Namdev are vague. His family name was believed to be as Relekar which is commo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
