36 Facts About Tukaram

Sant Tukaram Maharaj was a 17th-century Marathi Saint, Hindu sant, popularly known as Tuka, Tukobaraya, Tukoba in Maharashtra.

Tukaram was a Sant of Varkari sampradaya - that venerates the God Vitthal - in Maharashtra, India.

Tukaram was part of the egalitarian, personalized Varkari devotionalism tradition.

Sant Tukaram Maharaj is best known for his devotional poetry called Abhanga and community-oriented worship with spiritual songs known as kirtan.

Tukaram was born in the year 1598 or 1608 in a village named Dehu, near Pune in Maharashtra, India.

Sant Tukaram was born to Kanakai and Bolhoba More and scholars consider his family to belong to the Kunbi caste.

Tukaram's family owned a retailing and money-lending business as well as were engaged in agriculture and trade.

Tukaram's parents were devotees of Vithoba, an avatar of Hindu deity Vishnu.

The deaths and widespread poverty had a profound effect on Tukaram, who became contemplative, meditating on the hills of Sahyadri range and later wrote he "had discussions with my own self".

Tukaram married again, and his second wife was Avalai Jija Bai.

Tukaram spent most of his later years in devotional worship, community kirtans and composing Abhanga poetry.

Tukaram pointed out the evil of wrongdoings of society, social system and Maharajs by his and.

Eleanor Zelliot states that Bhakti movement poets including Tukaram were influential in Shivaji's rise to power.

Early 20th-century scholars on Tukaram considered his teachings to be Vedanta-based but lacking a systematic theme.

Tukaram is never systematic in his psychology, his theology, or his theodicy.

Tukaram says little about cosmogony, and according to him, God realizes Himself in the devotion of His worshippers.

Scholars note the often discussed controversy, particularly among Marathi people, whether Tukaram subscribed to the monistic Vedanta philosophy of Adi Shankara.

Bhandarkar notes that Abhanga 300,1992 and 2482 attributed to Tukaram are in style and philosophy of Adi Shankara:.

However, scholars note that other Abhangas attributed to Tukaram criticize monism, and favor dualistic Vedanta philosophy of the Indian philosophers Madhvacharya and Ramanuja.

Tukaram who calls himself Brahma and goes on in his usual way, should not be spoken to and is a buffoon.

Tukaram denounced mechanical rites, rituals, sacrifices, vows and instead encouraged direct form of bhakti.

Tukaram encouraged kirtan as a music imbued, community-oriented group singing and dancing form of bhakti.

Tukaram considered kirtan not just a means to learn about Bhakti, but Bhakti itself.

The greatest merit in kirtan, according to Tukaram, is it being not only a spiritual path for the devotee, it helps create a spiritual path for others.

Tukaram accepted disciples and devotees without discriminating on the basis of gender.

However, early 20th century scholars questioned whether Tukaram himself observed caste when his daughters from his second wife married men of their own caste.

Fraser and Edwards, in their 1921 review of Tukaram, stated that this is not necessarily so, because people in the West too generally prefer relatives to marry those of their own economic and social strata.

Tukaram composed Abhanga poetry, a Marathi genre of literature which is metrical, simple, direct, and it fuses folk stories with deeper spiritual themes.

Tukaram's work is known for informal verses of rapturous abandon in folksy style, composed in vernacular language, in contrast to his predecessors such as Dnyandeva or Namdev known for combining similar depth of thought with a grace of style.

In one of his poems, Tukaram self-effacingly described himself as a "fool, confused, lost, liking solitude because I am wearied of the world, worshipping Vitthal just like my ancestors were doing but I lack their faith and devotion, and there is nothing holy about me".

Tukaram Gatha is a Marathi language compilation of his works, likely composed between 1632 and 1650.

The first compilation of Tukaram poems was published, in modern format, by Indu Prakash publishers in 1869, subsidized by the British colonial government's Bombay Presidency.

Chandrakant Kaluram Mhatre has translated selected poems of Tukaram, published as One Hundred Poems of Tukaram.

Tukaram's poems are popular in rural Maharashtra and their popularity is increasing.

Tukaram was a devotee of Vithoba, an avatar of God Vishnu, synchronous with Krishna but with regional style and features.

Sant Tukaram had a profound influence on K B Hedgewar as the former's quotes often found their way on the latter's letterhead.