History & Civics
'Religion during the medieval period of Indian history was characterised by a combination of supreme devotion to God and a liberal approach.' Analyse this statement in the light of your understanding of the chapter.
Answer
The statement is justified, as the Bhakti and Sufi movements of the medieval period combined intense personal devotion to God with a liberal and reformist outlook.
On the one hand, supreme devotion to God was central. The term 'bhakti' itself denoted passionate love or devotion to God, and the Sufis laid emphasis on love and devotion to God as the Supreme Reality. Saints expressed this devotion through devotional music, dohas, kirtans and qawwalis.
On the other hand, the period reflected a liberal approach. The saints opposed the caste system, untouchability and idol worship, condemned complex and expensive rituals, and respected all religions. They used vernacular languages so that common people could understand their message, raised the position of women, and emphasised the equality and brotherhood of all human beings. For example, Kabir worshipped one formless God and rejected caste and ritualism, Guru Nanak promoted equality through the guru ka langar, and the Sufis showed respect for all faiths and kindness towards all.
Thus, religion during the medieval period indeed combined supreme devotion to God with a liberal, inclusive and reformist approach.
Related Questions
Assertion (A): The Sufi mystics detached themselves from the ruling classes and orthodox elements.
Reason (R): They disapproved of the vulgar display of wealth and the degeneration of morals following the establishment of the Islamic empire.
- A is true, but R is false.
- R is the reason for A.
- A is false, but R is true.
- Both A and R are false.
Most of the saint-poets of the medieval period denounced discrimination in society and upheld the principle of equality amongst human beings through their teachings and writings. According to you, what were the obstacles they may have encountered?
With what aim did the Bhakti Movement begin?
Which Bhakti saints popularised the concept of the personal God (saguna)? Name two saints who popularised the concept of a formless God (nirguna).