Emerging in 12th-century Karnataka, Vachana Sahitya gave voice to the Sharana movement. The Sharanas were ardent devotees of Shiva, spreading their message through vachanas, verses composed and sung in simple Kannada, which were infused with profound thought. They advocated social equality and rejected caste, challenging Sanskrit dominance and the prevailing literary and social norms. Many of the Sharana poets came from marginalised groups. Their vachanas criticised rituals and hierarchies, emphasising a personal connection with the divine.

While saints like Basavanna, Allama Prabhu, and Akka Mahadevi are the most prominent names of the movement, the tradition was equally enriched by the contributions of about 240 sharanas, including thirty or more women. Their simple lyrics championed social equality and resonated with the common people. As the vachanakaras challenged not just established religious practices but the very fabric of caste and hierarchy, they left an indelible mark on Kannada culture. Their thought and teaching became the foundation of a revolutionary literary and social movement.

As Amit Basole elucidates in this episode of Bhakti Republic, the core tenets of the movement find resonance with the values enshrined in the Constitution of India. The title of this episode, Kayakave Kailasa, draws on a quote attributed to Basavanna which translates loosely to “Work Is Worship”, but carries a deeper meaning. The sharanas believed that the body is the temple of Shiva, and that every act of it, conducted selflessly and honestly, is a path to the divine.

This episode is enriched by vachanas performed in Kannada by singer M D Pallavi and accompanied by Bruce Lee Mani on guitar. You can enjoy the soundtrack in a special music playlist released by Radio Azim Premji University.

CREDITS:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Arjun Jayadev, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Kripa Gowrishankar, Narayan Krishnaswamy, M D Pallavi, Prashant Vasudevan, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi and Velu Shankar

For a full list of acknowledgements and resources for further reading, please visit our website at https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/bhakti-republic-with-amit-basole/kayakave-kailasa-the-vachanas-of-the-sharanas

Episode ID: 1000639146654

GUID: 662e62ee-fab9-4523-8c63-771f81ea637e

Release Date: 20/12/2023, 04:50:21

Description

Over the centuries, poets have reminded us of the values we are in danger of forgetting as a society. The ideas of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice — the very values enshrined in our Constitution — have endured over centuries in the Bhakti tradition. The Bhakti poets always challenged the ideologies of their times that attempted to force the belief that people were not equal.

In this show, we explore the histories of these ideas in Bhakti poetry, and how they find resonance in the values underpinning the Constitution of a modern republic.

We take you on a listening experience to Pandharpur with the songs of Namdev and Tukaram, to Benares with the poetry of Kabir and Ravidas, to Rajasthan in the rapture of Meera’s devotion, and to northern Karnataka where sharanas sing the vachanas. But first, we visit post-Independence Bombay where the expression of these ideas find an avenue in the film music of the times.

Bhakti Republic is hosted by Amit Basole, faculty in Economics at Azim Premji University, where he also heads the Centre for Sustainable Employment. Basole has also hosted Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota - The World of Ghalib for Radio Azim Premji University.

CREDITS:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Riju R Krishna, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi and Velu Shankar

Acknowledgements:

A special thanks to Atif Anwar, Omkar Deshmukh, Seema Hussain, S Pranesh (students at Azim Premji University)

Feed URL

https://media.rss.com/bhaktirepublic/feed.xml

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