Question

Examine the impact of Bhakti and Sufi poetry on the development of regional languages and literature.

Answer 1

1. Bhakti and Sufi poets composed their verses in vernacular languages.
2. This helped in the standardisation and development of various regional languages such as Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu, and others.
3. Both Bhakti and Sufi movements emphasised the universality of love, devotion, and spiritual experience, transcending linguistic, cultural, and religious boundaries.
4. Nayanar Alvars, Tamil Bhakti Tradition, composed hymns praising Lord Shiva in Tamil. Their poems, Tevaram and Naliyaradivyaprabhandham, are revered for their devotional fervour and literary excellence.
5. Sufi poetry wrote verses expressing the depths of mystical love and spiritual longing.
6. The Chishtis, particularly in Delhi, embraced the use of local languages like Hindavi to communicate with the common people, fostering a deeper connection with the masses.
7. Sufi saints like Baba Farid expressed their spiritual insights through verses composed in the local language, some of which were included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism.
8. Others, like Malik Muhammad Jayasi, utilised local languages to create allegorical love stories such as the Padmavat, symbolising the journey of the soul towards divine love.
9. In Bijapur, Karnataka, Chishti Sufis crafted short poems in Dakhani.
10. The lingayat vachanas of Kannada and the abhangs of Marathi saints from Pandharpur.
11. Guru Nanak Dev, Sikhism, composed hymns known as "Shabads" that are included in the Guru Granth Sahib. His verses convey messages of universal love, equality, and devotion to the divine.
12. Kabir, a mystic poet and saint, challenged social norms and religious dogmas through his verses in Sant Bhasha
13. Mirabai composed bhajans and poems expressing her unconditional love and longing for the divine.