8

Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about 8 from Class 7 Social_Science. We begin with the Bhakthi Cult and Sufi Heritage. The saints of this movement stressed the importance of global brotherhood and taught that Bhakthi is the best way to attain Moksha. This path is called Bhakthi Cult. The word Bhakthi is derived from the Sanskrit word Bhuj. Bhuj means to receive. Let us look at the gist of the Bhakthi cult. First, it condemned discrimination between upper and lower caste and proposed equality. Second, the Saints of Bhakthi cult opposed and condemned superstitious practices. Third, they undertook the task of uniting the hearts of people. Fourth, according to Sufi Saints, dharma is love and service to mankind. They preached that God is one, not many.

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Now let us move on to the Bhakthi Heritage in South India. Aandal is one among the twelve Alwars, the Vishnu Devotees, of Tamilnadu. She was an adopted daughter of Vishnuchitha, who was also an alwar called Periyalwar. Aandal's original name was Godadevi. They were devotees of Krishna. Her father made flower garlands and offered them to the Krishna temple of Srivilliputhur. Aandal loved Krishna and claimed that he was her husband. She wrote Thirupaavai and dedicated it to God. In Tamilnadu, Thirupaavai Vratha is very famous. According to the Alwars, all Vishnu devotees are equal and their birth should not be questioned. They believed caste discrimination is a criminal offence.

Next, we learn about Akkamahadevi. She was a brave woman who participated in the Vachana movement of the twelfth century. She made immense contributions to Vachana literature. She was born in Uduthadi of Shivamogga District. Her father was Nirmalashetty and her mother was Sumathi. Akka was immersed in Shivabhakthi since her childhood. She claimed Channamallikarjuna himself to be her husband. Her parents forcibly married her to king Koushika. She found it a hindrance to her service to Guru, Linga, Jangama, so she left the palace. She came out leaving behind her clothes. Later, she stayed at Anubhava Mantapa in Kalyana, established by Basaveshwara, for some time. There she wrote many Vachanas under the pen name Channamallikarjuna. She was respected by all Shivasharanas. She left Kalyana and went to Srishaila towards the end of her life, leaving her mortal body in the Kadali forest of Srishaila.

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Let us now study Purandaradasa, who lived from 1480 to 1564 Common Era. He is one of the important persons in Kannada Dasa literature. He was born in Purandaragada. His original name was Srinivasa Nayaka. His father was Varadappa Nayaka and his mother was Leelavathi. His wife Lakshmibai was a religious woman. Srinivasa Nayaka was initially a miser and an atheist, but later he distributed all his wealth to the needy people and spent the rest of his life in the thought of God. He travelled to many places, singing Keerthanas, and finally reached the court of Krishnadevaraya. Vyasaraya gave him deeksha and called him Purandara. Later he became Purandaradasa. We can see human values in his songs. He condemned pious practices in his Keerthanas. We also see a combination of philosophy, moral, and musical fusion in his songs. He is known as Karnataka Sangeetha Pithamaha. He wrote Keerthanas in the pen name of Purandara Vittala. He was praised by his own Guru Vysaraya as Purandara Dasa is the Ultimate as a Dasa.

Next is Kanakadasa, who lived from 1508 to 1606 Common Era. He is one of the famous Keerthanakaras of Dasa Literature. He was born about 1508 at Bada village of Bankapura Taluk in Haveri District. Thimmappa was his original name. Beerappa and Bachamma were his parents. He was a warrior and also a poet. He headed a group of over 78 villages around Bada village and was also the chief of a battalion. It is said that he found a potful of Gold, and he came to be known as Kanakanayaka. He got detached from family life and became a disciple of Vyasaraya. Later, he came to be known as Kanakadasa. He composed many Keerthanas with the pen name Adikeshava. Kagineleya Adikeshava was his favourite deity. He criticized the superstitious beliefs of society in his songs and preached the simple path of attaining Moksha. He also criticized the caste system in his songs.

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Now let us understand the story of Kanakana Kindi. The priests of the Udupi temple stopped Kanakadasa from entering the temple. It is said that Lord Krishna, pleased by his devotion, turned his face towards the west and gave darshana through a kindi. Kanakadasa wrote Haribhakthisara, Nalacharithre, Ramadhanya Charithe which is a shatpadi epic, and Mohana Tarangini which is a Sangatya Kavya.

Moving on to Shishunala Sharifa, he is the first Kannada Muslim veteran poet. He is known as the Kabeera of Karnataka. He was born in 1819 Common Era at Shishunaala. His father was Imam Saheb and his mother was Hajjamma. He was aware of both Hindu and Islamic religion from his childhood. Later he passed his Mulki exams and served as a teacher for some time. He took Deeksha from Guru Govindabhatta and wrote many Thathvapadas. In his poems, one can find Rewayath, which are Moharam words. Among those songs are Kalagapada, Dharmika Neethipada, Alaavipada, and Savaal Jawab padas. His grave is in Shishunala. He tried to spread humanity beyond the barriers of caste and religion.

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Let us now travel to the Bhakthi Heritage of North India. Kabirdas lived from 1398 to 1518 Common Era. He is a famous saint of the Bhakthi cult and was a disciple of Ramananda. He tried to bring harmony between Hindu and Muslim religions. He was an adopted son of a Muslim weaver couple named Neeru and Neema of Varanasi. He condemned the caste system, luxurious life, caste superiority, and religious inequality. He described Allah and Rama as the two names of one God. He described Hindus and Muslims as pots of the same clay. Kabir told that he is the son of Rama and Allah. According to him, it is not possible to see God by fasting, torturing the body, or visiting sacred pilgrimages. It is only possible by sacred devotion. He taught his philosophy through Doha, which are two line poems, making it simple and easy to understand for the common man. His followers are called Kabir Panthis.

Next is Gurunanak, who lived from 1469 to 1539 Common Era. He is the founder of the Sikh religion. He was born in 1469 at Talvandi in Punjab, which is now in Pakistan. Mehtakaula and Thruptha were his parents. He stressed on the equal aspects of Hindu and Muslim religion. His songs called Japji are in the Grantha Sahib, the sacred book of Sikhs. The Sikh cult has given importance to Japa and good deeds. It stressed on gender equality. Guru Nanak had great belief in the existence of God. He preached that God is one to the world. He is true and eternal. He said one should not cheat, deceive, steal, and do violence in life. He said one can gain Bhakthi through Guru and with Bhakthi one can attain Mukthi. He opposed social evils like idol worshipping, caste system, and the Sathi System. During one of his travels, he visited Karnataka. The place where he stayed at Bidar is called Naanak Jhara, which means sweet water spring.

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Now we will learn about Tulasidas, who lived from 1532 to 1623 Common Era. He was the foremost to support bhakthi Marga in North India. He was born in a Brahmin family. His contribution to Hindi literature is immense. He wrote Ramacharithamanasa. This is a great book in Hindi literature. In the North, it is famous as Tulasiramayana. Being a devotee of Rama, he sowed devotion, pure life, love, affection, patience, and generosity among the people.

Next is Chaithanya, who lived from 1485 to 1533 Common Era. He was born in Navadweep, also known as Nadia, in Bengal in 1485 Common Era. Jagannatha Mishra and Sachidevi were his parents. Vishwambara was his original name. Eshvarpuri was his Guru. Chaithanya left his family life and took Sanyasa at the age of 25. He rejected caste discrimination. He said Bhakthi is the only way to attain Mukthi. He thought universal brotherhood is the first step towards the love of God. He travelled to holy places of India and spread the message of love. Love, brotherhood, and generosity are the essence of his teachings. Today's Hare Krishna cult has been influenced by him. The Bengalis call him Chaithanya Mahaprabhu and also consider him as the incarnation of lord Krishna.

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Let us now study Meerabai, who lived from 1498 to 1569 Common Era. Known as the Kaliyuga's Radha, saint Meerabai was the greatest composer of Keerthanas. She was born in a Rajput family in Rajasthan. She was Raja Rathansingh's daughter. She was married to the prince of Mewar. She loved spirituality from her childhood, so she spent her time in offering Puja to God, meditation, and singing. Her mother-in-law opposed her worshipping lord Krishna. Meerabai could not tolerate this, so she left the palace and went to Brindavan, an abode of Srikrishna. Her Keerthanas are full of devotion and love. Giridhara Gopala was her favourite deity. She has remained eternal in the hearts of people due to her hundreds of Bhajans.

Now let us look at the influences of the Bhakthi cult. As a result, Bhakthi saints created harmony between Hindus and Muslims. Bhakthi saints wrote in the simple common man's language. Due to this, Indian native languages were enriched.

We now move to the Heritage of Sufi. Just as Kabir, Kanakadas, Chaitanya and others brought new awareness among the Hindus, Sufi saints brought awareness among the Muslims. They worked for the harmony between Hindus and Muslims. The Sufi cult originated in Arabia and entered India. The word Sufi comes from the word Saaf, which means clean or clear. The Sufi saints were Muslim veterans and used to wear plain woollen dress. The essence of Sufi cult includes four main points. First, it claimed that God is one, He is powerful, and we are all his children. Second, it encouraged good deeds. Third, it proclaims that all are equal. Fourth, it opposed the caste system. Gradually, Sufis were influenced by Yoga, Vedantha, and Buddhist thoughts. Dharma means love and service to mankind, which was the basic philosophy of Sufis.

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Let us learn about prominent Sufi saints. Nizamuddin Auliya is one of the prominent Sufi saints. He lived in Delhi and lived a life of poverty. A masjid with a thatched roof was his centre of activity. He refused the village gifted by the Sultan of Delhi. He preached to the devotees who visited him to practise good qualities and kindness.

Next is Khwaja Bande Nawaz. He is a famous Chisthi Sufi saint. He was the disciple of Nasiruddhin of Delhi. Bandenawaz means protector of those who came to his shelter. Another name for him was Gesudaraj, which means long haired. His original name was Syed Muhammad Hussaini. He knew Sanskrit, Arabic, Parsi, Dakhani, which is Urdu, and many more languages. He settled in Kalaburagi. He was very much respected by the king Firoz Shah. He wrote in the Dakhani language. His literature is still seen in the Sahithya Bandar of his dargah in Kalaburgi. Every year his Urs is held in Kalaburagi.

Now let us discuss the Chisthi Sect. In the Sufi cult, the Chisthi sect is important. Moyinuddin Chisthi is the founder of this. He came and settled in Ajmer. Devotion towards God, service to Guru, and a good life are the main features of Chisthi followers. Chisthis had concern for the harmony of Hindus and Muslims. He wrote in the Dakani, or Urdu, language which was used by common people. Salim Chisthi from Fatehpur Sikri is famous among them.

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Let me describe the map and locations mentioned in your textbook. The map shows important Sufi centers across India. In Lahore, which is in today's Pakistan, Sheik Ismail resided. In Ajmer, Kwaja Moyinuddin Chisthi settled. In Delhi, Nijamuddin Aulia lived. In Arcot, Tippu Masthara Aulia was located. And in Kalaburagi, Kwaja Bande Nawaz made his home.

Now, let us look at the chronological table of saints and their lifespans in the Common Era. Nijamuddin Aulia lived from 1238 to 1325. Kabirdas lived from 1440 to 1518. Gurunanak lived from 1469 to 1539. Purandaradasa lived from 1480 to 1564. Chaithanya lived from 1485 to 1533. Meerabai lived from 1498 to 1569. Kanakadasa lived from 1508 to 1606. Tulasidas lived from 1532 to 1623.

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Now, dear students, let us carefully go through the exercises to prepare for your exams. I will read each question and provide the complete answer.

Section One: Fill in the blanks with suitable words. Question one. Channamallikarjuna is the pen name of Akkamahadevi. Question two. Purandaradasa was in the court of Krishnadevaraya. Question three. Adikeshava is the pen name of Kanakadasa. Question four. Kabir of Karnataka is Shishunala Sharifa. Question five. Chaithanya's first name is Vishwambara. Question six. Sufi saint Khwaja Bande Nawaj's other name is Gesudaraj.

Section Two: Answer the following questions in one sentence. Question seven. What is the original name of Aandal? The original name of Aandal is Godadevi. Question eight. Where was Akkamahadevi born? Akkamahadevi was born in Uduthadi of Shivamogga District. Question nine. Who is Karnataka Sangeetha Pithamaha? Purandaradasa is known as Karnataka Sangeetha Pithamaha. Question ten. Name Kanakadasa's parents. Kanakadasa's parents were Beerappa and Bachamma. Question eleven. Who is the first Kannada Muslim poet? Shishunala Sharifa is the first Kannada Muslim veteran poet. Question twelve. Which is the sacred book of Sikhs? The Grantha Sahib is the sacred book of Sikhs. Question thirteen. Who is called as Radha of Kaliyuga? Meerabai is called the Kaliyuga's Radha. Question fourteen. What is the meaning of the word Sufi? The word Sufi comes from Saaf, which means clean or clear. Question fifteen. Who were the sufi saints of India? Prominent Sufi saints of India include Nizamuddin Auliya, Khwaja Bande Nawaz, Moyinuddin Chisthi, and Salim Chisthi. Question sixteen. Who was the founder of Chisthi cult? Moyinuddin Chisthi was the founder of the Chisthi cult.

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Section Three: Answer the following in two to three sentences each. Question seventeen. Write the teachings of Kabirdas. Kabirdas condemned the caste system, luxurious life, caste superiority, and religious inequality. He taught that Allah and Rama are two names of the same God and that Hindus and Muslims are like pots of the same clay. He emphasized that God can only be seen through sacred devotion, not through fasting, torturing the body, or visiting pilgrimages, and he taught his philosophy through simple two line poems called Dohas.

Question eighteen. What were the teachings of Gurunanak? Gurunanak preached that God is one, true, and eternal, and stressed equality between Hindu and Muslim religions as well as gender equality. He taught that one should not cheat, deceive, steal, or commit violence, and that one can gain Bhakthi through a Guru to attain Mukthi. He also strongly opposed social evils like idol worshipping, the caste system, and the Sathi System.

Question nineteen. What are influences of Bhakthi cult? The Bhakthi cult successfully created harmony between Hindus and Muslims across India. The saints wrote their compositions in the simple language of the common man, which greatly enriched various Indian native languages. Their teachings promoted universal brotherhood, equality, and devotion over rigid rituals.

Question twenty. Summarise the essence of Sufi cult. The essence of the Sufi cult is the belief that God is one, powerful, and that all humans are His children. It encouraged good deeds, proclaimed that all people are equal, and strongly opposed the caste system. Over time, it was influenced by Yoga, Vedantha, and Buddhist thoughts, with its core philosophy being that dharma means love and service to mankind.

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Section Four: Match the following items mentioned in A with information given in B. Number one, Gurunanak, matches with letter B, Sikh religion. Number two, Chaithanya, matches with letter D, Harekrishna cult. Number three, Nijamuddin Aulia, matches with letter A, Sufi Saint. Number four, Meerabai, matches with letter C, Radha of Kaliyuga.

Now let us address the discussion and activities from your textbook. For the discussion topic, you should discuss the relevance of preachings of the Bhakthi cult. You can talk about how their messages of equality, love, and unity are still highly relevant in today's multi-religious society.

For the activities, first, collect the photos of Bhakthi saints along with their details. Second, read the biographies of Sri Chaithanya, Guru Nanak, Meerabai, Tulasidas, Kabir, Surdas, and Sufi saints. Third, listen to Meera Bhajans to understand the devotional music of the era. Fourth, collect more information about the Sufi cult, discuss their influences on India's multi-religious society and their relevance in the present context, and make a short note.

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We have successfully covered every saint, every date, every teaching, and every exercise question from this chapter. I hope this audio lesson has helped you understand the beautiful journey of the Bhakthi Cult and Sufi Heritage. Remember to revise the dates, pen names, and key teachings regularly. Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]