BHAKTI MOVEMENT IN NORTHERN INDIA

Submitted by:

DHANRAJ SINGH

Batch 2021-26, BA LLB.

PRN: 21010223074

Symbiosis Law School, NOIDA

Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune

In

March 2022

Under the Direction of

Dr. Pooja Kapoor

Professor

Symbiosis Law School NOIDA

 CERTIFICATE

The project on Bhakti movement in Northern India is presented to the Symbiosis Law
School, NOIDA History II as part of Internal Continuous this assessment is based on my
own research done under Dr. Pooja Kapoor's supervision. The material used in the
research that was acquired from other sources has been properly acknowledged.

I am aware of fact that if plagiarism is detected later, I may be held liable and
accountable.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, I'd want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Pooja Kapoor for
her assistance and role as my project's guiding light. They gave me with significant
knowledge that helped me comprehend all of the fundamentals of this project and
answered any questions I had about it.

I'd also want to express my gratitude to the library department and academic support at
Symbiosis Law School, Noida, for offering me with a variety of research sources and
resources to aid in the creation of an unique study.

I'd also want to express my gratitude to Symbiosis Law School, Noida, for presenting me
with this assignment so that I could understand the fundamentals of Bhakti movement
and it’s impact on Indian culture quickly, effectively, and entirely with full detail.
INDEX

Sl. No. Particulars Page. No.

1 Certificate 2
2 Acknowledgement 3
3 Abstract 4
4 Main Body and Analysis 6
5 Conclusion 7
Abstract
When the rise of the Bhakti movement in southern India reached a climax, the doctrine of the
Bhakti was explained in philosophical terms by a series of scholars and saints of the Vaishnava.
Ramanuja described a philosophy known as Vishistadvaita, or appropriate monism. His teaching
fit the emphasis of Adi Sankara's emphasis on total monism or the unity of the 'higher' and
'souls'.
If the Bhakti movement flourished in the Tamil country from the seventh century, it was only
from the fifteenth century that there was an extraordinary eruption of devotional poetry in
northern India. 1The community had become a racially divided society with a system of
divisions, polytheism, and idolatry. Religious thinkers are raising their voices in protest against
rituals and ceremonies, superstitions, and unwanted practices. The famous monotheistic
movement and Vaishnava Bhakti's organization were introduced. The monotheists practiced a
form of religion based on the prevailing religions, Hinduism, and Islam. They either denied the
truth about any of it and criticized the superstitious and superstitious aspects of both religions.

Research Objective
 To Know Relationship between Muslim Rule in India and Bhakti Movement in Northern
India
 To know positive and negative impacts of Bhakti Movement In India.

Main Body
The advent of Islam and the conquest of Turkey challenged Vedic scholars and priests. By the
end of the fourteenth century, Islam had spread to large parts of India. The vast majority of
Indians were converted to Islam. Combined with the power of the state, the global message of
Islam emphasizing equality has attracted lower levels of society.
The new political and social climate creates conditions for the growth of movements that are
incompatible with anti-caste, anti-Vedic and anti-puranic cultures. The result of the changes in

1
Dr. Amarkant Singh, Bhakti and Sufi Movement, 264 (2019)
the cultural sphere was: the development of regional languages, the emergence of Hindustani
(Hindi), and Indo-Muslim music and architecture.
The Hindu response to Islamic political power was difficult. Although there was a lot of hatred
in this new religion there was also a tendency for internal reform to strengthen Hinduism to meet
the challenge. An important result of the reunion was the rise of syncretic sects and great poets
and saints such as Kabir, Guru Nanak, and Ravidas.
The Bhakti movement was a ritual practiced by the Hindu religion during the Middle Ages, in
particular, from the late 7th to the 17th century. The concept of Bhakti originated with Hinduism
itself and refers to complete devotion to God. However, the Bhakti movement is something that
happens later, especially as a response to changes in social and political conditions. Two groups
of people considered to be poets and saints were an important factor in the spread of the Bhakti
movement. 2These were the Nayanar and the Alvars. In Hinduism, there are few deities
worshiped, including Shiva and Vishnu. The Nayana are devoted to Lord Shiva, while the Alvars
are devoted to Lord Vishnu. A devout Hindu religious reformer and eighth-century philosopher,
Adi Shankaracharya, also played a key role in propagating the Bhakti movement throughout
India. Shankaracharya is said to have been an intelligent child who read all eight Hindu
scriptures on his life.

Medieval Indian Society and the spread of the Bhakti Movement

During the Middle Ages, about the seventh century, Muslims from neighboring lands began to
invade northern India. This marked the beginning of the period of Islamic rule in India that lasted
until the 1700's. The Bhakti movement was greatly improved in response to the Islamic invasion
and invasion.

Impact of Bhakti Movement in Northern India

Social & Political Impact:
In time, many bad habits were introduced to the Hindu community. Lot of division into
categories. Several divisions were occurred at that time. They needed some comfort in order to
heal their broken heart. The most vital influence on the community of the Bhakti movement was
that the followers of the Bhakti movement refused to be divided into sects. They began to gather
on the basis of equality. They take their food together in the same kitchen. This organization
wanted to weaken nationalism. The spirit of harmony between the various social and religious
groups flourished. The evil practice of ‘Sati’ was reversed and the status of women became more
important. Some of the emperors adopted liberal religious practices under the influence of the
Bhakti movement.
Effect of religion:
2
David N. Lorenzen, Bhakti Religion in North India, 331 (2020)
The organization warned both Muslims and Hindus to fulfill the rituals and credulity. There was
a appraisement feeling for differences between the views and practices of the two religions.
The Bhakti movement was promoting tolerance related to religion. Guru Granth Sahib, a later
Sikh sacred text, included messages from saints of various sects. This was due to the spirit of
patience preached by the Bhakti saints.
The Negative Impact of the Bhakti Movement on the Medieval Indian Society:
• The Bhakti Organization achieved very little in achieving its dual objective to bring about
reform in the Hindu religion and to promote a harmonious relationship between Hindus and
Muslims.3
• The Turkish-Afghan rulers or the Muslim community did not accept the Rama-Sita sect or the
Radha-Krishna sect.
• It may also be far-fetched to say that Akbar’s broader view was due to the influence of the
Bhakti movement.
• The movement also divided the Hindu community.
• For example Kabir’s followers eventually came to be known as Kabir Panthis.
• It also introduces a new form of superstition in Indian society: Tantra.
• The development of the tantra school was a branch of Bhakti.
• By uttering magical words (mantra) and performing various kinds of mysterious gestures, it
was believed that the person could acquire desires and attain enormous power.

Islamic rule in India and Bhakti Movement in Northern Indian Relationship

When the Muslim armies took control of India, they became less tolerant of Hinduism and made
great efforts to convert the local people to Islam. These efforts were generally not peaceful, and
they included the destruction of Hindu temples, public criticism of Hinduism, intimidation of
Hindus, and the prohibition of Hindus from worshiping in their usual way. 4 However, the
introduction of Islam in India also challenged aspects of one of the most destructive aspects of
Hinduism of the day, including the form of idolatry that could easily be confusing or self-serving
and the old Hindu system itself. As a result, many Indians were confused, and some turned away
from Hinduism. This made the social environment acceptable to the new organization, which
was the Bhakti, Hindu movement.5
3
Karthik Venkatesh, Brief history of Bhakti Movement, Mint (Mar. 20, 2022, 9:24 PM)
https://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/0irwa2rMY1lUJKtPEtX4sO/A-brief-history-of-the-Bhakti-movement.html?
facet=amp
4
InsightsIAS, https://www.insightsonindia.com/indian-heritage-culture/bhakti-sufi-movement/bhakti-movement/
(last visited on Mar. 21, 2022)
5
Ms. Mohua Dutta, Bhakti Movement: A socio religious struggle of the Marginalized society, Worldwidejournals
(Mar. 22, 2022, 7:43 AM) https://www.worldwidejournals.com/indian-journal-of-applied-research-(IJAR)/
Conclusion
The Bhakti movement retained many of the basic elements of the Hindu religion, but it continued
and rejected other ancient aspects. Many ideas of the Bhakti movement are described in the
Bhagavad Gita, which is one of the sacred Hindu Vedas, or scriptures. Some elements which are
considered important in the Bhakti movement are:
• The unity of all Hindu deities is one God
• Rejection of idolatry and emphasis on practices or teachings that promote blind faith
• Devotion to God
• Equality for all people through the rejection of class plan ideas
• Godly devotion is the most important thing in life
• A loving and open way for religion and faith
One important factor that the Bhakti movement had in India and among the followers of the
Hindu religion was that it helped them to regain hope and to become more aligned with their
Hindu faith. The invading Muslims had used a very powerful arm in their efforts to convert
Hindus to Islam, which resulted in many people being alienated from the whole concept of
religion. The Bhakti movement gave Indian Hindus the ability to reaffirm their faith and
conviction as a religion.6

recent_issues_pdf/2014/August/August_2014_1407215132__196.pdf
6
Rami N. Desai, Rajashi Bhagyachandra and the Bhakti Movement, 331 (2018)