17 Facts About Bhima Bhoi

Bhima Bhoi was a 19th-century saint, Odia poet, mystic, and social reformer from the state of Odisha in India.

Bhima Bhoi was a follower of Mahima Swami, and his teachings and poetry were deeply influenced by Mahima Dharma, a monotheistic religious movement in Odisha.

Bhima Bhoi was a bhakta of Mahima Gosain, the founder of Satya Mahima Dharma, an Indian religious tradition that challenged the authority of caste and other forms of discrimination.

Bhima Bhoi is remembered for his mystical poetry, which was primarily in the Odia language, and his social reform efforts aimed at uplifting the marginalized sections of society.

Bhima Bhoi was born in Madhupur in Rairakhol in 1850, though various sources have cited different years as well as different places of birth.

Bhima Bhoi soon left his place of birth and reached the Rairakhol area and was employed as a servant by a farmer.

Bhima Bhoi worked as a cattle caretaker and lived in a chawl near the farmer's cowshed as he was from an "untouchable" tribe.

At the age of twelve, Bhima Bhoi left his job and began his spiritual journey, performing penance at Kapilas, where his guru Mahima Swami had meditated and preached.

Bhima Bhoi attracted numerous disciples, married, and started a family.

Bhima Bhoi's followers came from various backgrounds, including established families, marginalized castes, and women's groups.

Bhima Bhoi's teachings emphasized simple truths of life, such as not lying, stealing, engaging in adultery, or discriminating against others.

Bhima Bhoi's language is characterized by its mysticism, musicality, and colloquial nature, which made it accessible to common folk.

Bhima Bhoi departed from the use of Sanskritized Odia, adopting the vernacular language instead.

Bhima Bhoi's verses are rhythmic, lyrical, and feature internal and end rhyming patterns that contribute to the beauty of his poems.

Bhima Bhoi's poetry was initially composed orally, sometimes spontaneously, and was later written down by scribes.

Bhima Bhoi composed more than one hundred collections of poems, though only about twelve are available today.

Bhima Bhoi emphasizes the importance of devotion over knowledge in achieving salvation.