THEME - 6 BHAKTI-SUFI TRADITIONS

• Tantric forms of worship – more prevalent among women.
• Puranic traditions – Worshipped Vishnu or Shiva; the singing
  and chanting of devotional compositions;Alvars and Nayanars
  were part of this tradition.
• Vedic Traditions – Worshipped Agni, Indra and Soma; only men
  and Brahmans, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas; chanting long Vedic
  hymns

• Bhakti traditions classified into saguna (with atheists) and nirguna
  (worship of abstract form)
• The Alvars and Narayanars of Tamil Nadu
  • Alvars -worshippers of Vishnu
  • Nayanars – devotees of Shiva
  • common features – traveled singing hymns in Tamil.

• Alvars & Nayanars initiated movement against caste system &
  dominance of Brahamans.
• Nalayiradivyaprabandanam – important composition of Alvars
  equal to four Vedas.
• Status of women – composition of Andal (a women Alvar) popular,
  songs of Karaikkal Ammaiyar – were widely sung.

• Cholas, Pallavas and Pandyas ruled south India.
• Buddhism and Jainism had been prevalent in this region for
  several centuries
• Alvars and Nayanars opposed Buddhism and Jainism through
  their hymns.

• Chola rulers supported Brahmanical and bhakti traditions
• constructed temples for Vishnu and Shiva. Shiva temples,
  including at Chidambaram, Thanjavur

• Cholas patronized brahamanical tradition, made land grant to
  lord Shiva at Gangaikonda Cholapuram – bronze sculpture of
  Shiva.
• Parantaka I – consecrated metal images of Bhakti Saints -Appar,
  Sambandar and Sundarar in a Shiva temple.

• Karnataka saw a new movement -Basavanna a brahamana –
  court of Chalukyan ruler.
• His followers – Virashaivas or Lingayats (wearers of Linga).
• important community to this day – who worship shiva in
  form of a linga.
• Lingayats challenged idea of caste and questioned the
  theory of rebirth.
• They encountered remarriage of widows.

• North India saw the emergence of Rajput states which
  patronized Brahmans.
• performed secular & ritual function.
• The Naths, Jogis, siddhas also.

• Arab – settled in Malabar Cost.
• Mohammad Qasim – conquered Sind – in 711.
• Turks and Afghans established Delhi Sultanate.
• Ulemas – Theologians.
• Sharia – Law governing the Muslim Community
  – based on the Quran and hadiths.

• The five pillars of the faith.
• One God, Allah, Prophet Muhammad – the messenger.
• local customary practices of converts.
• Malabar Coast (Kerala) adopted the local language, Malayalam.
• Kerala is built with Shikara.
• a mosque is built in Kashmir with wood
• a mosque is built in Bangladesh with bricks.

• Musalmanor Muslim
• Turkish  – Turushka
• Tajikistan – Tajika
• Persia – Parashika
• Mlechchha – migrant communities

• asceticism and mysticism
• salvationthrough intense devotion and love for God
• Khanqahs
• Silsilas – Spiritual chain
• Ziyarat – pilgrimage

• were a part of Sufis
• khangah – small room & hall for students to live & pray
• Shaikh Nizamuddin chishti had many follower

• Ziyarat – Darga
• Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
• Ghiyasuddin Khalji of Malwa
• Muhammad bin Tughlaq (ruled, 1324-51)
• Akbar visited the tomb fourteen times – Khwaja Muinuddin’s
  dargah
• Qawwali – use of music and dance including mystical chants
• Amir Khusrau – the great poet, musician and disciple of
  Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya

Life and teachings of Kabir:

• Hindu family (Kabirdas)
• Kabir Bijak – Kabirpanth
• Granthavali – Dadupanth in Rajasthan- found in the Adi Granth
  Sahib
• special language of nirguna; ulatbansi(upside-down sayings)
• Islam; Vedantic traditions; yogic traditions
• Kabir use the words guru and satguru

• Baba Guru Nanak – born in Nankana
• Advocated – nirguna bhakti
• “shabad” – hymns in Punjabi
• sangat – congregational worship
• Guru Arjan – compiled Baba Guru Nanak’s hymns
• “gurbani” – Baba Guru Nanak’s hymns
• Guru Gobind Singh
• Guru Tegh Bahadur – ninth guru
• scripture  – Guru Granth Sahib.
• Guru Gobind Singh founded KhalsaPanth
  – socio-religious and military force

• best-known woman poet
• Rajput princess from Marwar
• recognizing Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu, as her lover.
• her preceptor(student) was Raidas
• donned the white robes of a widow or the saffron robe of
  the renouncement.
• Her songs sung by “low caste” in Gujarat and Rajasthan.