The
Saintly Voices |
Sorathee Santvaanee
The Saintly Voices from
Sorath
|
|
1947 |
A collection of
104 Bhajans
(Devotional Songs) |
|
Sorathee Santo
The Saints of Sorath |
Puraatan Jyot
The Pristine
Glow |
|
|
1928 |
1938 |
Twin books depicting
lives of
12 saints
of
Sorath |
|
click here
to view
and listen |
click here
to view |
|
Sorathee Santo
The Saints of Sorath
|
Puraatan Jyot
The Pristine Glow
|
|
|
1928 |
1938 |
Twin books depicting lives of 12 Saints of
Sorath
in a language which, while being precisely simple,
is, at the same time,
supremely serene.
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Meghani clarifies
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The Saints of Sorath |
Guru Gebinath |
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caste
not available |
sect
Nath |
guru
not available
|
Inspirer
of the
Aapaa tradition which took roots with Aapaa
Mepa, who followed him. |
A cave atop
Songadh Hillock (near
Thangadh :
District Surendranagar)
was his abode where he undertook hard
penance. |
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his Temple
atop the hillock |
Songadh Hillock |
his Cave |
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Aapaa Mepa |
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caste
Prajapati |
sect
Gebinath |
guru
Gebinath |
A resident of Thangadh (Dist.
Surendranagar), he pursued the profession of a potter and
was blessed by
Guru Gebinath.
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Jhilaniyu
lake
located between Surajdeval
and Songadh Hillock, on the outskirts of
Thangadh,
where he would be found digging
the earth
(for the soil needed for making potteries),
praising God all the time. |
his Samadhi
at
Asthal-nee
Jagaa,
Thangadh |
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Aapaa
Rata |
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caste
Kathi |
sect
Gebinath |
guru
Gebinath |
A Kathi Darbar from Moldi (near Chotila : Dist.
Surendranagar)
who,
after he came in touch with Aapaa
Mepa, trode the path of devotion and service.
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Baavan Hanuman Temple at Moldi
where he worshipped |
his farm in
the outskirts of Moldi
where he went every night to guard the crop
and where his lion
friends
Gangaram and Motiram came to meet him |
his Samadhi at
Moldi |
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Aapaa Jadra |
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caste
Kathi |
sect
Gebinath |
guru
Aapa
Mepa |
A Kathi Darbar from Songadh (near
Thangadh :
Dist. Surendranagar) who turned over a new leaf once he realised
how great his
father-in-law Aapaa
Rata really was. |
Believing him to be a
Peer, the sick and the sightless,
the crippled and the childless --
all sorts of sufferers, from all sections of
the society,
came to him for his blessings, which, they thought, could cure them. |
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Old Songadh atop the hillock
his abode |
his Samadhi
at
Asthal-nee
Jagaa, Thangadh |
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Aapaa Gorkha |
caste
Kathi |
sect
Gebinath |
guru
Aapa
Jadra |
son of Aapa Jadra, he furthered and fostered the noble tradition
of his worthy father. |
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Hanuman Temple atop
Songadh Hillock
where he worshipped |
The present-day
Songadh
which
he `founded' |
his
Samadhi
at
Asthal-nee Jagaa, Thangadh |
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Dan
Maharaj |
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caste
Kathi |
sect
Gebinath |
guru
Aapa
Jadra |
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Born totally blind, he
got his
eyesight with the blessings of Aapaa
Jadra. |
He established the Seat at
Chalala (Dist.
Amreli)
where
he served the needy and maintained and cared for cows.
|
He also set up the tradition of
Anna-Kshetra, a
free-food-for-all centre
serving Gol-Chokhaa-Ghee (jaggery, rice
and ghee)
to anyone who came there. |
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his Belongings |
Chalala (Dist.
Amreli) |
his Samadhi |
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Visaman
Bapu |
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caste
Kathi |
sect
Gebinath |
guru
Dan Maharaj |
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Once an outlaw, he took to the path of devotion and service after he met Dan
Maharaj. |
In accordance with his guru's wish he established
the Seat
at Paliyad (near Botad
: Dist.
Bhavnagar) and
carried on therefrom the tradition of his Guru. |
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Hall to hold Daayro |
Paliyad (near Botad
: Dist.
Bhavnagar) |
his
Samadhi |
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Aapa
Giga |
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caste
Gadhai |
sect
Gebinath |
guru
Dan
Maharaj |
He grew up at Chalala
where Dan Maharaj and
Visaman Bapu,
seeing
the spark in him, took him in their wings. |
He established the Seat at
Satadhar (Dist.
Junagadh) which eventually became a
centre for
Gareeb-Sewaa
(service to the poor) and
Gau-Sewaa (service to cows). |
Started the tradition of prasaad of
Raab,
made from
Juvaar
(a kind of corn)
as advised by his
Guru. |
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Sandhyaa
Aartee (evening prayer) |
Satadhar (Dist.
Junagadh) |
his
Samadhi can be
seen behind the tree |
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Girnari Sant
Velnath Bapu |
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caste
Koli |
sect
Nath |
guru
Waghnath |
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view from Damodar Kund |
Mount Girnar
at Junagadh |
view from Hasnapur Dam |
He did
Parakamma of
Mount Girnar at Junagadh, going round
and round the mountain for 12 long years,
in course of which he scaled every peak, entered every cave and got to know every
tree standing there. |
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Velavad, near
Bhavnath Taleti, Girnar |
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He finally returned to the foot, at Bhaveshwar,
and brushed his teeth there with a Daatan --
a soft, thin branch of Banyan tree.
He then split the Daatan into two parts.
One of these, which he casually planted nearby,
eventually grew into a grand, spreading
Banyan tree
and came to be known as Vela
Vad. |
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Bhairavjap peak of
Girnar
where he did hard penance |
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Velnath-no
Veerado
one of the seven such water streams near Bhairavjap peak |
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his
Samadhi
at
Girnar |
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his
Samadhi
at
Khadkhad (Dist.
Amreli) |
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Ram Dhangad, a dreaded hunter from
Dervan,
then a tiny village
in the vicinity
of Mount Girnar,
who, after he happened to meet
Saint Velnath,
felt inspired to abandon his ruthless deeds
and turn over a new
leaf. |
He later came to be known as Saint
Ramaiya, having composed over 300 Bhajans
(devotional songs) in his life thereafter. |
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here stood then a dense forest
where he used to hunt |
Dervan |
his
place of worship
on
the bank of river
Ron |
Bhajan composed by Saint Ramaiya in praise of his
Guru |
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The Pristine Glow |
Sant
Devidas |
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caste
Rabari |
sect
Sanatan |
guru
Jerambharathi |
He undertook the noble but daunting task of
caring for
the critically-ill patients of leprosy who, till then, were humiliated
and left to their ultimate fate. |
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Amar Maa
and Shardul Bhagat were his disciples. |
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Dattatreya
Dhoono (encampment for worship)
which
he kept going |
Parabvavdi (Dist. Junagadh) |
A
Majestic Temple
constructed over
his Samadhi |
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Mekran
Dada |
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caste
Bhatti Rajput |
sect
Kapdi |
guru
Gangaraja Kapdi |
Jee Naam ! -- The words, uttered in a specially prolonged and raised voice,
with which he used to greet people.
So characteristic it was that the words became almost his synonym : Its utterance
itself became his identity.
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He dedicated his entire
life to the service of the people around him. |
Accompanied by his
constant, faithful
companions -- Lalaram the donkey and Motiram the dog ---
he traversed the tough terrain of the drought-prone Kutch region on foot, in the scorching desert sun,
to try and quench the thirst of people dying for water. |
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Birthplace |
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Nani
Khombhdi (near
Nakhtrana : Dist. Kutch) |
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Deeksha
(initiation) |
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The Temple |
Ashapura
Mataji
Mata Na Madh (Dist. Kutch) |
Chaachra
Kund |
where Mekran
Dada,
then a boy of just 12, resolved to tread
the pathway to God through service to
fellow humans. |
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Dattatreya Temple in Girnar
where
Guru Dattatreya is
believed to have gifted
him
Kaavad
(a pair of leather bags, hanging in
balance,
one each from either end of a strong wooden rod)
which later became synonymous
with him. |
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He did hard penance, spending 12 years each at
Bilkha,
Jungi,
Lodai
and
Dhrang
establishing at each place a
Dhoono (encampment for worship). |
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Noorsataagar-nee
Jagyaa,
Bilkha (Dist. Junagadh) |
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Jungi
(near Samakhiyali : Dist. Kutch) |
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Lodai
(near Dhrang
: Dist.
Kutch) |
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The Source |
Pargatpani (near Dhrang : Dist. Kutch) |
The water is harnessed into
Havaado
(reservoir)
for use by the nearby villagers
and their cattle |
where he is believed to have unearthed
water from deep down the ground by just a strike of his Trishool.
The stream of water keeps coming out there even today ! |
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Samadhi |
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his Dhoono |
Dhrang (near
Bhuj : Dist.
Kutch) |
his Samadhi |
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his belongings including the Kaavad
which
he used to carry
water |
the well from
which he fetched water
for the thirsty |
his Dholio
(cot) |
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While 10 of his dedicated disciples preferred to take
Samadhi with him,
his two steadfast companions -- Lalaram the donkey and Motiram the dog -- also
chose to accompany their master
along his
'journey beyond' |
Laliyo
-- The Treasure of Virtues ! Motiyo -- My Brotherly
Strength ! |
-- |
|
Samadhi
of Lalaram the donkey and Motiram the dog |
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Samadhi
of his brother Patangsha
Peer
who
stayed at Jok in Sindh and practiced
Muslim religion.
On learning that Mekran
Dada
had taken
Samadhi
he left for Dhrang. He stayed here
for 6 months before he too took
Samadhi. |
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then |
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some of the Saakhee
(short poems) composed by Mekran
Dada
explaining the deeper meaning of life |
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A
well-known
Bhajan composed by Mekran
Dada
which is favourite even today |
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Kanu Barot |
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Jesal-Toral |
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caste
Rajput (Jesal)
Kathi (Toral) |
sect
Maha
Panth |
guru
Sati Toral
(Jesal)
not available
(Toral) |
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Chandaji
Jesal, a notorious social discard, was persuaded to return to the path of good by
Sati Toral,
the virtuous wife of
Kathi
saint Sasatiya, a resident of
Kathiawaar |
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Bhajans
explaining the
deeper meaning of
life composed by Jesal
Peer
and Sati Toral
are still throbbing
in the hearts of the
masses.
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Jesal
once sneaked into the house of Sasatiya with
the
intention of stealing the three things
Sasatiya prided on :
his famed
Tori
female horse,
his
Tori
sword
and his
wife Toral. |
Jesal
got caught in the act. |
However,
the magnanimous Sasatiya, unbelievable
as it might sound,
gifted Jesal all the three ! |
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Jesal Kund
(near Dhrol
: Dist. Kutch) |
where Jesal rested on his way
back home in Kutch along with
the three 'gifts'. |
.It was here
that Jesal first got the
Parcho (evidence) of the
divine powers Toral was believed to
be blessed with. |
She, with this
power of hers, could sense the intention Jesal harboured to steal cows
as the cattle came to the
kund
to drink water
and dissuaded him from carrying
out the sinful idea. |
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Artist
Hemant Solanki |
|
Ismail Valera - Diwaliben Bhil
|
Again, while crossing the creek
between
Kathiawaar
and Kutch,
Jesal-Toral encountered a storm which threatened to
overturn
their boat. |
While Jesal paniced, Toral --
as calm and composed as ever --
consoled him, advising him to pray to God with all of his heart and
make a clean breast of each one of his past sins. |
As he started praying as
advised by Toral, the storm slowly weakened and
eventually passed off. |
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Jesal-Toral
no Visaamo at
Kidana (near Gandhidham
: Dist. Kutch)
Jesal and Toral, after
disembarking at Tuna port on
their way to Anjar,
rested for a
while on
the bank of the lake Jesrasar,
named so thereater |
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Suman Kalyanpur
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The
Bhajan
through which Toral, after
they safely landed on the bank
across,
wised up
Jesal
to the intricacies of life. |
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Yashwant Bhatt |
Ismail Valera |
Jesal sang this
Bhajan
to awaken the unconscious
Toral |
Jesal was all grief as Toral was
leaving for
Mewaar
to be at a
religious ceremony.
He, somehow, had a feeling that
it was their last meeting. |
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And so, alas, it turned out :
Jesal passed away while Toral
was away. |
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Dina Gandharva |
Learning about it on her return
Toral is believed to have
persuaded Jesal to 'wake up'.
What about our word to each
other -- she as if reminded Jesal in her voiceless utterance
-- to go to the 'world
beyond' together ?
And, lo, Jesal woke up -- as if
from deep slumber !
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They, eventually, took
Samadhi
together -- true to their word
to each other. |
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Samadhi |
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Samadhi of Tori, Jesal's female horse |
Anjar (Dist.
Kutch) |
Samadhi of Jesal-Toral |
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then |
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The Saintly Voices
from Sorath
|
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|
1947 |
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A
collection of 104
Bhajans
(Devotional Songs)
which he jotted down in his notebooks as he
moved places researching
folklore,
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When the final proofs of his fairly exhaustive, almost 50-page introduction to the
book,
already printed, arrived to be finalised by him,
Meghani had left this world -- just the
night before. |
Over the few months prior to this he, who
was immersed lifelong -- and
neck-deep -- in creating
literature,
seemed to be leaning towards something which he,
as if suddenly, realised he had
missed out on :
Saintly Literature
-- especially
the Devotional Songs. |
An undercurrent
of his inclination for this, though, perhaps flowed underneath his other
writings all along. |
Indeed, he
thereafter stopped writing poetry altogether, realising the literature already there
more than echoed his feelings. |
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Meghani
illustrates
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Sections
in which
the
Bhajans are classified |
The Lord and
the Land |
The Pathway
of
Worship |
The Nine Ways
of Worship |
The Master
Tallest |
Being Born
a Human |
Loving is
Worshipping |
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Poet-Saints
figuring
in this collection |
Aamba
Chhathaa
|
Akha
Bhagat
|
Raja Amarsinh
|
Bhawanidas
|
Bhojalram
|
Daasee Jeevan
|
Devaram
|
Devayat
Pandit
|
Sant
Devidas
|
Dulabh
|
Ganga
Sati
|
Raja
Gopichand
|
Guru
Gorakhnath
|
Harji Bhati
|
Daas
Hothi
|
Jesal Peer
|
Jethiram
|
Sant
Kabir
|
Lakhiram
|
Likhmauji
Mali
|
Sati
Loyan
|
Kaaji Mahmad Shah
|
Meera
Bai
|
Mahatma
Mooldas
|
Morar Saheb
|
Paan Bai
|
Pitha Bhagat
|
Prem Saheb
|
Sant
Raidas / Rohidas
|
Sant
Ramaiya
|
Ravi
Saheb
|
Ravidas Mod
|
Shamal Daas
|
Sati Toral
|
Trikam
Saheb
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some of the everfresh
Bhajans from the
collection
Names of different singers
who have rendered the same particular song appear, under the title of the song,
in
alphabetical
order, left to right.
click on the
singer's
name
to
listen |
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Ganesh
Saakhee
(short prayer)
with which would start every Bhajan-singing session |
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( Anonymous
) |
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Daas Hothi |
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Sant
Kabir |
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Morar Saheb |
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Devaram |
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Ravi Saheb |
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Lakhiram |
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Jethiram |
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Meera
Bai |
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Sati
Toral |
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Likhmauji
Mali |
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Daasee
Jeevan |
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Ravi
Saheb |
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Sant
Devidas |
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Morar Saheb |
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Jethiram |
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Daasee
Jeevan |
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Shamal Daas |
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Morar Saheb |
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( Anonymous
) |
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Sati
Toral
- Jesal
Peer |
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Jesal
Peer |
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Bhawanidas |
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Ganga
Sati |
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Likhmauji
Mali |
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Harji Bhati |
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Guru
Gorakhnath |
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Considered to be the 9th and the last Nath
of the Nath Sect, he composed Bhajans
which got adapted in Gujarati too.
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Gorakhnath peak in Mount Girnar
where he did penance |
Gorakhpur
(Uttar Pradesh)
his place |
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Sant
Kabir |
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A weaver by profession, he composed and sang devotional songs, which came naturally
to him as he wove for his livelihood. |
He showed, by example, that one could worship even while working and carrying on
the daily duties
of life.
He further showed -- by example again -- that what finally mattered was one's deeds in life rather than one's birth.
|
His influence was not limited to any religion or sect and he is revered even today
by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs alike.
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Lahartala
Lake at Varanasi
(Uttar Pradesh)
where he was `found' |
Kabir Chaura
at Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
his workplace |
Maghar (near
Gorakhpur : Uttar Pradesh)
his Samadhi |
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The Kabir Vad (Banyan
Tree) standing tall on the bank of river Narmada
(near Bharuch) which Sant
Kabir is said to have visited. |
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Sant
Raidas /
Rohidas |
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While pursuing his profession of washing
skins of dead animals before use as leather,
the down-to the-earth saint composed
Bhajans.
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Varanasi
(Uttar Pradesh)
his birthplace |
Raidas
Kund at Sarsai (near
Visavadar
: Dist.
Junagadh)
where he stayed during his sojourn
in Saurashtra |
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Ravi-Bhan
Tradition |
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Bhan
Saheb |
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It was he who took up the torch of Sant
Kabir in Gujarat and eventually founded the Ravi-Bhan tradition.
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He travelled extensively across Gujarat along with his team of 40 disciples called
the Bhan Faujh
(Army) |
A well-known verse roll calling
the
members of the
Bhan
Faujh
|
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Varahi
(near
Radhanpur : Dist.
Banaskantha)
his native place |
Sherkhi (near Vadodara)
the first
Seat he founded |
Kamijala (near Viramgam
: Dist. Ahmedabad)
his
Samadhi |
|
Bund
Taking the Ravi-Bhan tradition further ... |
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Khim
Saheb
son
of Bhan
Saheb |
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Dariyaasthaan at
Rapar (Dist.
Kutch)
his Seat |
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Dariyaasthaan at
Rapar (Dist.
Kutch)
his
Samadhi |
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Trikam
Saheb
disciple of Khim Saheb |
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Chitrod (near Rapar : Dist.
Kutch)
his Seat |
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Dariyaasthaan at Rapar
(Dist.
Kutch)
his Samadhi |
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Bhim
Saheb
disciple of Trikam Saheb |
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his
Samadhi at Amaran (near Morbi : Dist. Jamnagar) |
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Daasee
Jeevan
disciple of Bhim
Saheb |
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his birthplace |
Ghoghavadar (near Gondal : Dist. Rajkot) |
his
Samadhi |
He composed
devotional songs imagining himself to be a
Daasee (female attendant) of the Lord. |
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Prem
Saheb
disciple of Daasee Jeevan |
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his
Samadhi
at Kotda Sangani (Dist. Rajkot) |
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Naad
Taking the Ravi-Bhan tradition further ... |
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Ravi
Saheb
disciple of Bhan Saheb |
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Sherkhi (near Vadodara)
his Seat |
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Khambhalida (Dist.
Jamnagar)
his
Samadhi |
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Morar
Saheb
disciple of Ravi Saheb |
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Khambhalida (Dist.
Jamnagar)
his Seat |
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Khambhalida
(Dist.
Jamnagar)
his
Samadhi |
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Hothi
Saheb
disciple of Morar Saheb |
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Morbi |
Balambha (Dist.
Jamnagar) |
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in alphabetic order |
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Akha
Bhagat |
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Jetalpur (near
Ahmedabad)
his birthplace
|
A Vedanti and
a hard-hitting social reformer,
he innovatively used a more effective
poetic form --
Chhappaa
--
to achieve his goal. |
Desai-nee
Pol, Khadia,
Ahmedabad
where
he spent most of his working life. |
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Aamba
Chhathaa |
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Balak Swami
Temple
at Mesvan
considered to be the fountainhead of
Mesvaniya
tradition
where he is believed to have taken
Samadhi. |
Believed to be his footprints at
Balak Swami Temple at Mesvan
(Dist.
Junagadh) |
The temple at
Dudhrej
(near
Surendranagar)
founded by his elder brother
Shatpragyna
Swami |
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Bhawanidas |
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Bhawanidas (right) with his Guru
Jodhal Peer (left) |
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Vankarvaas,
Dholka
(near Ahmedabad)
his birthplace |
He was, like Kabir, a weaver by profession.
Words and ambience associated with his
daily working life, thus, naturally and
effortlessly got woven into his poetry.
He played Dokad,
a sort of a drum,
and even danced passionately as he sang. |
Dholka (near Ahmedabad)
his Samadhi |
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Bhoja
Bhagat |
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Fatehpur (near Amreli)
his Seat |
No less a social reformer than a saint,
he resorted to another poetic form
for his purpose :
Chaabakhaa
(whip). |
He took Samadhi at
Virpur
in accordance with the wishes of
his disciple Jalaram Bapa |
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Devayat
Pandit |
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Among his disciples were
Devtankhi
Luhaar
and
his daughter
Liralbai,
residents of
Majevdi
(near Junagadh),
who were
great devotees and noble souls themselves. |
He excelled
in songs foreseeing
the future
and widely used
Aagam,
a poetic form suitable for the purpose. |
Koliyak
(near Bhavnagar)
He along with his wife Devalde
is believed to have taken Samadhi
near Koliyak
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Lakhiram |
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his Bhajans came to be known as
`Lakheeraam-naa Pyaalaa' |
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Mahatma
Mooldas |
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Amodara (near Una :
Dist. Junagadh)
his birthplace |
People called
him Mahatma
for the
services
he rendered to the society. |
Amreli
his Samadhi |
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Pitha
Bhagat |
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his
Samadhi
at Junaa Vankarvaas, Vanthali (near Junagadh) |
Once an outlaw, he took to the path of devotion |
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some
Saints from
Rajasthan
whose
Bhajans got into Gujarati in
course of time |
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Harji Bhati |
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Harji Bhati (left) with his Guru
Baba
Ramdev
Peer |
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Chief disciple of
Baba
Ramdev
Peer
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Ramdevra,
Rajasthan
his memorial in the premises of the
Samadhi
temple of his
Guru |
Panditjee-kee-Dhaanee
(near Osiya),
Rajasthan
his Place and
Samadhi |
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Likhmauji / Likhmidas Mali |
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A descendent of
Baba Ramdev
Peer tradition
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Badakee-Bastee
at Chenaar in Nagaur
his birthplace |
Amarpura village
(near Nagaur), Rajasthan
Kuvo
(well) where he sat singing Bhajans |
Amarpura
his
Samadhi |
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some
Women Saints
who tried to seek
unison with God
by singing in praise of Him with deep devotion and intense
emotion. |
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Meera
Bai |
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Hailing from
a high royal Rajput family of Rajasthan,
she got deeply immersed in the worship of Krishna from the very childhood. |
She composed
songs in Marwari, Vraj and Gujarati and sang these too in the melodious voice she
was gifted with.
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The place where she was born |
Kudki
(near Merta City), Rajasthan
her
birthplace |
Krishna Temple in the fort |
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courtesy Meerabai Smaarak, Merta
City, Rajasthan |
Fort at
Merta City, Rajasthan
where she stayed with her
grandparents after the death of her
parents
It is, now,
Meerabai
Smaarak,
a museum raised in her memory |
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Shri
Chaturbhujnath Temple at
Merta City, Rajasthan
where she worshipped as a
young girl
and where, now, stands a temple in her memory
too. |
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Kanwar Pada Palace
a part of
Kumbha Palace
where she stayed |
Chittorgarh, Rajasthan
where she
settled after her marriage with
Bhojraj,
the eldest son of Rana Sangha, who
ruled
Mewaar
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Kumbha Shyam Temple
later named
Meera Temple
since she worshipped there regularly |
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Dwarka, Gujarat
where she is believed to have spent the
later part of her life |
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Ganga
Sati |
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While her saintly husband Kahalsang Bhagat
opted for a death-by-choice by taking Samaadhi,
he disuaded her from her wish to join him in the journey to the next world.
She would do well, he advised, to live a little longer instead and train Paan
Bai
for the life ahead. |
She chose to do this through devotional songs, which she composed,
one every day,
for the next 52 days, interpreting life and unlocking the secrets thereof.
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Rajapara (Dist.
Bhavnagar)
her birthplace |
Samadhiyala (Dist.
Bhavnagar)
her Samadhi |
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Sati
Loyan |
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Atkot (Dist.
Rajkot)
her birthplace |
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Bordevi Temple atop Mount Girnar
from where she is believed
to have left for the world beyond |
Lakha, the king of Atkot
who
used to harass her, later repented
his misbehaviour and returned to the right path. |
He even showed a sincere desire to learn about
spirituality,
whereupon
Sati
Loyan, in the 84 devotional songs she wrote addressing Lakha, explained the subtlties
of life. |
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Jhaverchand Meghani acknowledges his debt to
Darbar Vajsurvala of Hadala-Bagasara estate |
Darbar
Vajsurvala
(1873-1953) |
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