unacademy ‘Test Preparation > UPSC > UPSC CSE > History > Practice & Strategy > Crash Course Women in Bhakti Movement. LESSON 10 OF 13 Download the Unacademy Learning App to watch this and over 200k more lessons in UPSC, SSC CGL, GATE, Google Play ff @ App Sto CAT and many more categories.Probable topics for mains 2017 (GS Paper I History) Presented by Rohit Vishal Pandey@ unacademy Aboutme Rohit Vishal Pandey * Pursuing MA in Sociology * CSE Aspirant * Appeared for SSC Mains. * Also appeared IBPS PO interview and RRB NTPC psycho test * Work as a part content developer * Follow me on: https://unacademy.com/user/rv.galaktico@ unacademy Women in Bhakt! Movement What is Bhakti ?? * Bhakti as a concept means devotion and surrender. * The seed of bhakti can be traced to the Vedas but was not prevalent that time. * However, it was mainly found in the Upanishads. * It originated from South India (Alwars & Nayanars) in the 7" century.@ unacademy Introduction * With everyone equal in the eyes of God, the movement brought religion and spirituality to the marginalized classes — specifically women, whose religious expression was restricted in many ways. * Regional languages also got prominence as the teaching were in local languages. * Along with male poets and saints, women poets and saints too have immensely contributed for the movement. * Women poets from all over India contributed to this movement and laid the seeds of Indian feminism during this period.@ unacademy Akka Mahadevi (1130-1160) * She was a poet of Kannada Language. * She is known to have considered the god Shiva as her husband. * Legends tell of her wandering naked, only covered by her long hair, in search of her Divine Lover. * Her mystical poems have notable contribution to Kannada literature. * About 350 lyric poems or Vachanas are attributed to Akka Mahadevi. * Her works frequently use the metaphor of an illicit, or adulterous love to. describe her devotion to Chennamallikarjuna (Shiva).@ unacademy Andal * Andal was a Bhakti saint who composed hymns in 8" century Tamil. * She was the only woman among the 12 Alwars. * Andal loved Krishna as a child; as a teenager she refused to be betrothed to any mortal man. * The Thiruppavai attributed to the young Andal and the Nachiyar Thirumozhi said to have been composed in her teens are sung even today in Tamil Nadu where she is revered.@ unacademy Meera Bat (1498-1546) * She was a born as a Rajput princess. * She was highly religious from her childhood and a follower of the Krishna cult of Vaishnavism. * Meera Bai is said to have composed numerous devotional songs. * She wrote in Rajasthani, Gujarati and Hindi. * Her bhajans or devotional songs of high literary value are sung all over the country even today. * Meera is a symbol of a liberated woman who risked all to protect her independence, freedom, and love towards Krishna.@ unacademy Janabat * Janabai, known as Sant Janabai, was a Marathi religious poet born in the 13** century to a Shudra family. * She was devoted to Lord Vitthala (Vishnu). * Janabai was influenced by teachings of Saint Namdev and composed a large number of verses of the abhang form, which survived as a result of being included in collections of Namdev’s own works. * Her poetry encompasses the discrimination faced by women & Shudras. This awaken the Shudras and women for their rights. * Along with DnyaGneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, and Tukaram, Janabai has a revered place in the minds of Marathi-speaking Hindus who belong especially to the Varakari sect in Maharashtra.@ unacademy Lal Ded (1820-1892) * Lalleshwari locally known mostly as La/ Ded was a Kashmiri mystic of the Kashmir Shaivism school of philosophy. * She was a creator of the mystic poetry called vatsun or Vakhs, literally "speech" (Voice). * Known as Lal Vakhs, her verses are the earliest compositions in the Kashmiri language and are an important part in history of modern Kashmiri literature. * She inspired and interacted with many Sufis of Kashmir.@ unacademy Some more women poets * Gangasati was a medieval saint poet of bhakti tradition of western India who composed several devotional songs in Gujarati language. * The Awaiyars was the title of more than one poet who was active during different periods of Tamil literature. There were 3 female poets titled Avvaiyar. * Karaikal Ammaiyar was one of the 3 women amongst the 63 Nayanars, is one of the greatest figures of early Tamil literature. * Sakhubai, Muktabai & Bahinabai contributed greatly to the Marathi literature. They were all devotee of Lord Vitthala (Vishnu).2 un, THANK YOU