Religious Histories: The Bhakti-Sufi Tradition Test - 3

Baba Guru Nanak was born in 1469 AD, in the village called Nankana Sahib, near river Ravi in Punjab.

Guru Tegh Bahadur contributed many hymns to the  Guru Granth Sahib, including the  Shlokas  (couplets) into it.

“Naam Ghar ”  refers to prayer halls.

Alvars were the devotees of Lord Vishnu. They were responsible for some of the earliest Bhakti movement, especially in South India.

Occasionally the Sufi shaikh was addressed with high-sounding titles. For instance, the disciples of Nizamuddin Auliya addressed him as Sultan-ul-mashaikh  (Sultan amongst shaikhs).

Karaikkal Ammaiyar is one of the three women saints among the 63 Nayanmars, and is considered one of the greatest figures of Tamil literature. She was born in Karaikkal, which was, during the Chola period, a maritime centre. Ammaiyar was a great devotee of Lord Siva , and she is believed to have lived during the sixth Century. 

The khanqah was the centre of social life for the Sufis. Shaikh Nizamuddin ’s hospice, during the fourteenth century, was located on the banks of the river Yamuna in Ghiyaspur, on the outskirts of what was then the city of Delhi.

Tulsidas was a major devotee of Lord Rama, for whom he composed many poems. He lived in the sixteenth century.

Nalayira Divyaprabandham  was composed in the tenth century AD. Its acceptance as Tamil Veda shows the influence of Alvars and Nayanars in South Indian society. This anthology is said to be composed by 12 Alvars.

Kirtana-ghosha is one of major composition of Shankardeva. He was a leading religious teacher of  Assam.