Bhakti & Sufi
Indian History · भक्ति और सूफी · 20 facts
Nirguna Bhakti = Worship of formless God (Kabir, Guru Nanak)
Saguna Bhakti = Worship of God with form — Rama or Krishna (Tulsidas, Mirabai, Surdas)
Alvars = 12 Vishnu devotee saints of Tamil Nadu (7th–10th century)
Nayanars = 63 Shiva devotee saints of Tamil Nadu
Khanqah = Sufi hospice / monastery where saints lived and taught
Sama = Musical gathering in Sufi tradition (especially Chishti order)
Silsila = Chain of spiritual teachers in Sufi tradition
Bhakti Movement started in South India with Alvars (12) & Nayanars (63)
Shankaracharya — Advaita; Ramanuja — Vishishtadvaita; Madhva — Dvaita
Kabir: Nirguna Bhakti, raised by Muslim weaver, disciple of Ramananda
Guru Nanak (1469–1539): Founded Sikhism at Talwandi, Punjab
Tulsidas wrote Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi language
Mirabai — Krishna devotee, princess of Mewar, Rajasthan
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu popularized Hare Krishna movement in Bengal
4 Sufi Orders in India: Chishti, Suhrawardi, Naqshbandi, Qadiri
Chishti = most popular order; Ajmer Dargah = Moinuddin Chishti
Nizamuddin Auliya = 'Mehboob-e-Ilahi', saw 7 Delhi Sultans
Amir Khusrau: disciple of Nizamuddin, invented Sitar & Tabla, founded Qawwali
Baba Farid — first to write poetry in Punjabi
Naqshbandi order opposed Akbar's liberal policies (Din-i-Ilahi)