Question
State the importance of Bhakti movement in reforming and uniting the Indian society?
Answer
The Hindu society had been a prey to many evils such as caste system, inequality, superstitions, narrow mindedness. The Bhakti movement tried to reform the Hindu society by eliminating these evils. For this the Bhakti servants did a lot of work:
- All over India, they used local languages to preach their message.
- They condemned rigidities of casteism and taught lessons of love, devotion and equality.
- They discarded rituals and sacrifices to create oneness with God. They described all kinds of discriminations based on religion.
- They opposed the caste system, and superstitions narrow mindedness. They encouraged religious tolerance.
- Kabir and Nanak, the popular Bhakti saints, strongly preached Hindu, Muslim unity.