133-674: Sant Tukaram Maharaj (Marathi pronunciation: [t̪ukaːɾam] ), also known as Tuka, Tukobaraya, Tukoba, was a Hindu, Marathi Saint of Varkari sampradaya " in Dehu village, Maharashtra in the 17th century. He was a bhakt of the god Vithoba of Pandharpur . He is best known for his devotional poetry called Abhanga , which are popular in Maharashtra, many of his poems deal with social reform. He spent most of his later years in devotional worship, community kirtans (group prayers with singing) and composing Abhanga poetry. Tukaram pointed out
266-426: A devaghar with idols, symbols, and pictures of various deities for daily worship. Ritual reading of religious texts known as pothi is also popular in some communities. In some traditional families, food is first offered to the preferred deity in the household shrine, as naivedya , before being consumed by family members and guests. Meals or snacks are not taken before this religious offering. In present times,
399-469: A sarangi ), and the chorus (which may include the audience as well) repeats the lines and provides musical accompaniment and keeps the rhythm (with percussion instruments like the tabla ). Sometimes the lead may have some solo lines, and the chorus can accompany them with a refrain . The performance may be punctuated by short sermons or stories. The song repertoire is generally drawn from medieval authors, but may include more recent additions. In temples,
532-438: A Marathi school textbook The government of India had issued a 100 rupee Silver commemorative coin in 2002. Marathi people The Marathi people ( / m ə ˈ r ɑː t i / ; Marathi : मराठी लोक , Marāṭhī lōk ) or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, Marāṭhī ) are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India . They natively speak Marathi , an Indo-Aryan language . Maharashtra
665-706: A century. The Maharashtra Mandal of London was founded in 1932. A small number of Marathi people also settled in British East Africa during the colonial era. After the African Great Lakes countries of Kenya , Uganda and Tanganyika gained independence from Britain, most of the South Asian population residing there, including Marathi people, migrated to the United Kingdom, or India. Large-scale immigration of Indians into
798-504: A comparison of Tukaram's philosophy and theology with those of Christianity. Deleury, in 1956, published a metric French translation of a selection of Tukaram's poem along with an introduction to the religious heritage of Tukaram (Deleury spells him as Toukaram ). Arun Kolatkar published, in 1966, six volumes of avant-garde translations of Tukaram poems. Ranade has published a critical biography and some selected translation. Dilip Chitre translated writings of Sant Tukaram into English in
931-414: A dispute with Karnataka regarding the districts of Belgaum and Karwar , both with a large population of Marathi people. For the first time, the creation of Maharashtra brought most Marathi people under one state with the mainly rural Kunbi-Maratha community as the largest social group. This group has dominated the rural economy and politics of the state since 1960. The community accounts for 31% of
1064-826: A formal worship ceremony ( arati ) may also follow. One important promoter of Vaishnava kirtan in Bengal was Chandidas (1339–1399), who introduced Vaishnava kirtan in Bengali and was very influential on later Vaishnava northern kirtan. Chandidas was instrumental in the Bengali Vaiṣṇava Sahajiyā tradition, a form of tantric Vaishnavism focused on Radha and Krishna which flourished in Bengal , Bihar , Orissa , and Assam . The Vaiṣṇava Sahajiyā tradition produced many great Bengali language poets and singers. The 16th century CE saw an explosion of Vaishnava kirtan in
1197-802: A large realm stretching from Gwalior to Cuttack . In the mid-17th century, Shivaji founded the Maratha Kingdom by conquering the Desh and the Konkan regions from Bijapur kingdom, and established Hindavi Swaraj ("self-rule of Hindu people"). The Marathas are credited to a large extent with weakening Mughal rule in India. After Shivaji's death, the Mughals invaded the Deccan in 1681. Shivaji's son Sambhaji , also his successor as Chhatrapati , led
1330-610: A negative attitude towards music, possibly because it was considered sensual and inconsistent with its core monastic teachings. However, Mahayana and Vajrayana sources tend to be much more positive to music, seeing it as a suitable offering to the Buddhas and as a skillful means to bring sentient beings to Buddhism. Buddhist songs and chants make use of the following genres: sutras , mantras , dharani , parittas , or verse compositions (such as gathas , stotras , and caryagitis ). Examples of Buddhist musical traditions include
1463-563: A social commentary or a philosophical/linguistic exposition" that includes narration, allegory, humor, erudition and entertainment—all an aesthetic part of ranga (beauty, color) of the kirtan. Kirtan is locally known by various names, including Abhang , Samaj Gayan , Haveli Sangeet , Vishnupad , Harikatha . Vaishnava temples in Assam and northeastern Indian have large worship halls called kirtan ghar —a name derived from their being used for congregational singing and performance arts. Kirtan
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#17327865633701596-794: A song, to a certain raga and accompanied with musical instruments. The Gurus themselves created numerous musical instruments including the Taus , the Sarangi , the Saranda and a modification of the Pakhawaj (called Jori ) creating an early form of the Tabla . A Shabad Kirtan refers to the musical recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib , the primary scripture in the Sikhism tradition which
1729-402: A source of economic power and pride and were reluctant to part with it. The watandars were the first to oppose Shivaji because it hurt their economic interests. Since most of the population was Hindu and spoke Marathi, even the sultans such as Ibrahim Adil Shah I adopted Marathi as the court language for administration and record-keeping. Islamic rule also led to Persian vocabulary entering
1862-559: A wider popularity. Some Western kirtan singers have also adapted kirtan songs with influences from other styles, including rock music , new-age music , African music and latin american music. There are also Kirtan singers in the west who sing more traditional Indian style kirtan such as Kamini Natarajan and Sheela Bringi . Kirtan singing has also become popular among Westerners who consider themselves spiritual but who are not part of any specific religious institution or movement (" spiritual but not religious "). In this case, kirtan
1995-664: Is Lee Mirabai Harrington . The Bene Israel , a Jewish community in the Indian subcontinent, adopted the devotional singing style Kirtan from their Marathi Hindu neighbors. Their main traditional musical instruments are the Indian Harmonium and the Bulbul tarang . In the modern era, kirtan has also been adopted by several jews like Susan Deikman. These jewish kirtans replace Sanskrit Hindu lyrics with Hebrew songs and chants. The famed Bengali saint Paramahansa Yogananda
2128-612: Is kirt ( कीर्त् ). The term is found in the Samhitas , the Brahmanas , and other Vedic literature, as well as the Vedanga and Sutras literature. Kirt , according to Monier-Williams , contextually means "to mention, make mention of, tell, name, call, recite, repeat, relate, declare, communicate, commemorate, celebrate, praise, glorify". The term kirtan is found as anukirtan (or anukrti , anukarana , literally "retelling") in
2261-512: Is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting , telling, describing" of an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions . It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts, connoting a musical form of narration, shared recitation, or devotional singing, particularly of spiritual or religious ideas, native to the Indian subcontinent . A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankara (or kirtankar, कीर्तनकार). With roots in
2394-421: Is a heterogeneous practice that varies regionally, according to Christian Novetzke , and includes varying mixtures of musical instruments, dance, oration, theatre, audience participation, and moral narration. In Maharashtra for example, Novetzke says, a kirtan is a call-and-response style performance, ranging from devotional dancing and singing by a lead singer and audience to an "intricate scholarly treatise,
2527-540: Is a major practice in Hinduism , Vaisnava devotionalism, Sikhism , the Sant traditions, and some forms of Buddhism , as well as other religious groups. Kirtan is sometimes accompanied by story-telling and acting. Texts typically cover religious, mythological or social subjects. The term kirtana ( Devanagari : कीर्तन) generally means "telling, narrating, describing, enumerating, reporting". The Sanskrit root of kirtan
2660-420: Is agreed by historians that Saint Tukaram died in 1650. In his work of Abhangas , Tukarama repeatedly refers to four people who had a primary influence on his spiritual development, namely the earlier Bhakti Sants Namdev , Dnyaneshwar , Kabir and Eknath . Early 20th-century scholars on Tukaram considered his teachings to be Vedanta -based but lacking a systematic theme. JF Edwards wrote, Tukaram
2793-546: Is also sometimes called harinam (Sanskrit: harināma) in some Vaishnava traditions, which means "[chanting] the names of God ( Hari )." In regional languages, kirtan is scripted as Bengali : কীর্তন ; Nepali and Hindi : कीर्तन ; Kannada : ಕೀರ್ತನೆ ; Marathi : कीर्तन ; Punjabi : ਕੀਰਤਨ / کیرتن ; Sindhi: ڪِيرَتَنُ / कीरतनु ; Tamil : கீர்த்தனை ; Telugu : కీర్తన . Kirtans and bhajans are closely related, sharing common aims (devotion, faith, spiritual uplift and liberation), subjects, and musical themes . A bhajan
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#17327865633702926-482: Is arranged according to raga . Shabad Kirtan can be listened to silently or sung along with the gathered congregation. Kirtan in Sikh history has been the musical analog of Kathas recitation, both preferably performed by ragi jatha , or professional trained performers. A Sikh Kirtan is a religious, aesthetic and social event, usually held in a congregational setting on Sundays or over certain festivals to honor
3059-482: Is considered the forerunner of the Indian National Congress established in 1885. The most prominent personalities of Indian nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th century, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak , on opposite sides of the political spectrum, were both Marathi. Tilak was instrumental in using Shivaji and Ganesh worship in forging a collective Maharashtrian identity for
3192-531: Is dissolved in water, what is it that remains distinct? I have thus become one in joy with thee [Vithoba, God] and have lost myself in thee. When fire and camphor are brought together, is there any black remnant left? Tuka says, thou and I are one light. However, scholars also note that other Abhangas attributed to Tukaram criticize monism, and favor dualistic Vedanta philosophy of the Indian philosophers Madhvacharya and Ramanuja . In Abhanga 1471, according to Bhandarkar's translation, Tukaram says, "When monism
3325-530: Is done in Sanskrit ), though this may include Sanskrit mantras. This style of vernacular singing became popular during the medieval era (1300–1550) and the early modern period (1550–1750). Hindu kirtan is influenced by the practices and teachings of the various devotional Bhakti movements , who emphasized emotional loving relationship with a personal God, and also by the figures of the Sant tradition (like Kabir , Ravidas , and Namdev ). Beginning with
3458-441: Is essential to their realization of Him: 'It is our faith that makes thee a god', he says boldly to his Vithoba . Late 20th-century scholarship of Tukaram, and translations of his Abhanga poem, affirm his pantheistic Vedantic view. Tukaram's Abhanga 2877, as translated by Shri Gurudev Ranade of Nimbal states, for example, "The Vedanta has said that the whole universe is filled by God. All sciences have proclaimed that God has filled
3591-602: Is expounded without faith and love, the expounder as well as the hearer are troubled and afflicted. He who calls himself Brahma and goes on in his usual way, should not be spoken to and is a buffoon. The shameless one who speaks heresy in opposition to the Vedas is an object of scorn among holy men." The controversy about Tukaram's true philosophical positions has been complicated by questions of authenticity of poems attributed to him, discovery of manuscripts with vastly different number of his Abhang poems, and that Tukaram did not write
3724-545: Is freer, and can be a single melody performed by a single singer with or without musical instruments. Kirtan , in contrast, is generally a group performance, typically with a call and response or antiphonal musical structure, similar to an intimate conversation or gentle sharing of ideas. Kirtan also generally includes two or more musical instruments, and has roots in Sanskrit prosody and poetic meter. Many kirtans are structured for more audience participation, where
3857-433: Is increasing. Tukaram was a devotee of Vithoba ( Vitthala ) , an avatar of God Vishnu , synchronous with Krishna but with regional style and features. Tukaram's literary works, along with those of sants Dnyandev, Namdev and Eknath, states Mohan Lal, are credited to have propelled Varkari tradition into pan-Indian Bhakti literature. According to Richard Eaton, from early 14th-century when Maharashtra region came under
3990-525: 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. One of his celebrated devotees was Bahina Bai , a Brahmin woman, who faced anger and abuse of her husband when she chose Bhakti marga and Tukaram as her guru . Tukaram taught, states Ranade, that "pride of caste never made any man holy", "the Vedas and Shastras have said that for
4123-483: 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 (Vishnu) just like my ancestors were doing but I lack their faith and devotion, and there
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4256-402: Is never systematic in his psychology, his theology, or his theodicy. He oscillates between a Dvaitist [Vedanta] and an Advaitist view of God and the world, leaning now to a pantheistic scheme of things, now to a distinctly Providential, and he does not harmonize them. He says little about cosmogony, and according to him, God realizes Himself in the devotion of His worshippers. Likewise, faith
4389-476: Is not divided into parts like "Naradiya Kirtan". This form was effectively performed for years by personalities like Hari Bhakti Parayan (sincere devotee of god) Sonopant (mama) Dandekar, Dhunda maharaj Deglurkar, Babamaharaj Satarkar, Dekhanebuwa, and many others in modern times. An institute at Alandi near Pune offers training in this form of Kirtan. Naradiya Kirtan is divided into five main parts: naman (prayer), Purvaranga (the main spiritual lesson), chanting
4522-583: Is not necessarily so, because people in the West too generally prefer relatives to marry those of their own economic and social strata. David Lorenzen states that the acceptance, efforts and reform role of Tukaram in the Varakari-sampraday follows the diverse caste and gender distributions found in Bhakti movements across India. The rest include ten Brahmins and two whose caste origins are unknown. Of
4655-465: Is not only the welfare of all living beings, but also includes protecting them from harm's way. Places associated with Tukaram in Dehu that exist today are: A number of Indian films have been made about the saint in different languages. These include: Tukaram's life was the subject of the 68th issue of Amar Chitra Katha , India's largest comic book series. Balbharti has included a poem of Tukaram in
4788-469: Is not to be purchased in shops, nor is it to be had for wandering, nor in cupboards, nor in deserts, nor in forests. It is not obtainable for a heap of riches. It is not in the heavens above, nor in the entrails of the earth below. Tuka says: It is a life's bargain, and if you will not give your life to possess it, better be silent. The essence of the endless Vedas is this: Seek the shelter of God and repeat His name with all thy heart. The result of
4921-409: Is nothing holy about me". Tukaram Gatha is a Marathi language compilation of his works, likely composed between 1632 and 1650. Also called Abhanga Gatha , the Indian tradition believes it includes some 4,500 abhangas . The poems considered authentic cover a wide range of human emotions and life experiences, some autobiographical, and places them in a spiritual context. He includes a discussion about
5054-638: Is often part of Buddhist rituals and festivals in which they may be seen as offerings to the Buddha. Chants, songs and plays about the life of the Buddha by the Buddhists of Bengal are sometimes called Buddha-samkirtan or Buddha kirtan. Instruments like the Indian harmonium, flute, dotara , khol and kartal are used as accompaniment . Music has been used by Buddhists since the time of early Buddhism , as attested by artistic depictions in Indian sites like Sanchi . Early Buddhist sources often have
5187-457: Is performed before a family formally establishes residence in a new house. Satyanarayana Puja is a ceremony performed before commencing any new endeavour or for no particular reason. Invoking the name of the family's gotra and the kuladevata are important aspects of these ceremonies for many communities. Like most other Hindu communities, the Marathi people have a household shrine called
5320-441: Is presented as a kind of drama, with its actors, its dialogues, its portion to be set to music, its interludes, and its climaxes." Generally speaking, kirtan, sometimes called sankirtana (literally, "collective performance"), is a kind of collective chanting or musical conversation. As a genre of religious performance art, it developed in the Indian bhakti movements as a devotional religious practice (i.e. bhakti yoga ). But it
5453-469: Is seen as a social, expressive and holistic experience which helps one connect with the inner self. It is also considered egalitarian and manifests as an eclectic practice which draws on multiple cultures and is tolerant to most religions. Western spiritual kirtan can be found in Western yoga centers, new age groups, spiritual communes, and neo-shamanic circles. For some Western practitioners, kirtan
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5586-678: Is seen as a way of socializing, relaxing, achieving meditative states, expressing oneself, attaining inner peace and positive emotions, getting to know one's inner self, and cultivating love for a deity and for others. In the United States case law, the term sankirtana has also been used to specifically refer to the promotional activities of ISKCON. ISKCON had sought the right to perform sankirtana in California airports such as in Los Angeles. The court ruled that while ISKCON has
5719-660: Is the Radha -centered Radha-vallabha Sampradaya , whose singing style known as Haveli Sangeet is based on Hindustani classical forms like " dhrupad " and " dhamar ". Another kirtan style shared by the Braj traditions like the Vallabha, Haridasi , and Nimbarka is samaj gayan, which is a kind of collective singing. Kirtan as a genre of religious music has been a major part of the Vaishnavism tradition, particularly starting with
5852-574: The Alvars of Sri Vaishnavism sub-tradition between the 7th to 10th century CE. After the 13th-century, two subgenres of kirtan emerged in Vaishnavism, namely the Nama-kirtana wherein the different names or aspects of god (a Vishnu avatar) are extolled, and the Lila- kirtana wherein the deity's life and legends are narrated. In the modern era, north Indian styles of kirtan are widely practiced in
5985-557: The Avatara Katha mentions kirtan as one of nine forms of bhakti. Bhakti poets and musicians like Jayadeva (the 12th century author of the Sanskrit Gita Govinda ) were influential in the development of Indian devotional music genres like kirtan (which, though written in the vernacular, often imitated the style of Sanskrit bhakti poems). Jayadeva was a great classical composer and wrote devotional music in
6118-701: The Bharatiya Janata Party in recent years have not dented Maratha caste representation in the Maharashtra Legislative assembly. After the Maratha-Kunbi cluster, the scheduled caste (SC) Mahars are numerically the second-largest community among the Marathi people in Maharashtra. Most of them embraced Buddhism in 1956 with their leader, B. R. Ambedkar. Writers from this group in the 1950s and 1960s were pioneers of Dalit Literature . The Portuguese-occupied enclave of Goa
6251-683: The Chola dynasty . The Yadava dynasty of Deogiri , ruled Maharashtra from the 13th century to the 14th century. The Yadavas were defeated by the Khaljis in 1321. After the defeat of Yadavas, the area was ruled for the next 300 years by a succession of Muslim rulers including (in chronological order): the Khaljis , the Tughlaqs , and the Bahmani Sultanate and its successor states called
6384-522: The Deccan sultanates , such as Adilshahi , Nizamshahi , and the Mughal Empire . The early period of Islamic rule saw the imposition of a Jaziya tax on non-Muslims, temple destruction and forcible conversions. However, the mainly Hindu population and their Islamic rulers came to an accommodation over time. For most of this period Brahmins were in charge of accounts, whereas revenue collection
6517-818: The Dehu MS , the Kadusa MS , the Talegeon MS and the Pandharpur MS . Of these, the Dehu MS is most referred to because Indian tradition asserts that it is based on the writing of Tukaram's son Mahadeva , but there is no historical evidence that this is true. 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 . The 1869 edition noted, "some of
6650-873: The East India Trading Company and then under the British Raj , from 1858. During this era Marathi people resided in the Bombay presidency , Berar , Central provinces , Hyderabad state and in various princely states that are currently part of present-day Maharashtra. The 1951 census of India had 4.5 million people in the erstwhile Hyderabad state who stated Marathi as their mother tongue. Significant Marathi populations also resided in Maratha princely states far from Maharashtra such as Baroda , Gwalior , Indore , and Tanjore . The British colonial period saw standardisation of Marathi grammar through
6783-741: The Ekasarana Dharma bhakti movement that emphasized Advaita Vedanta philosophy within the Vaishnava framework of the Bhagavata Purana . Shankaradeva helped establish Sattras (Hindu temples and monasteries) with kirtan-ghar (also called Namghar ), for Krishnaite singing and dramatic performance. Meanwhile, in the Braj region, Vallabha acharya launched a devotional movement which focused on kirtan songs about baby Krishna and his early childhood. One ofshoot of this tradition
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#17327865633706916-800: The Harivamsa , the Yadava kingdom called Anaratta is described as mostly inhabited by the Abhiras (Abhira-praya-manusyam). The Anartta country and its inhabitants were called Surastra and the Saurastras , probably after the Rattas (Rastras) akin to the Rastrikas of Asoka's rock Edicts, now known as Maharashtra and the Marathas. During the ancient period, around 230 BC, Maharashtra came under
7049-493: The Hindustani speaking areas or from Southern India , however, a significant number of immigrants to Mauritius were Marathis. Since the state of Israel was established in 1948, around 25,000–30,000 Indian Jews have emigrated there, of which around 20,000 were from the Marathi speaking Bene Israel community of Konkan. Indians, including Marathi People, have migrated to Europe and particularly Great Britain for more than
7182-574: The Marathi language rather than Sanskrit for their devotional and philosophical compositions. The decline of Islamic rule in Deccan started when Shivaji (1630–1680) founded the Maratha Kingdom by annexing a portion of the Bijapur Sultanate . Shivaji later led rebellions against Mughal rule, thus becoming a symbol of Hindu resistance and self-rule. The Marathas contributed greatly to weakening imperial Mughal rule and went on to rule over
7315-724: The Newari Buddhist Gunlā Bājan , Tibetan Buddhist music , Japanese Buddhist Shōmyō , modern Indian Buddhist bhajans , and Cambodian Smot chanting. As there are many different traditions of Buddhist music and chanting, the musical instruments used vary widely, from solely relying on the human voice , to many types of classic instruments used in Asian music (such as the ancient Indian veena ) as well as modern instruments ( harmonium , keyboards , guitars , etc). There are also some Western Buddhists who have recently adopted kirtan singing. One Western Buddhist kirtan artist
7448-752: The Ramakrishna mission , the Divine Life Society , and Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship . Western kirtan singers, some of who learned in India, have also popularized the practice. Western kirtan performers include Krishna Das , Bhagavan Das , Nina Rao, Wah! , Jai Uttal , Snatam Kaur , Lokah Music , Deva Premal , Jahnavi Harrison , Jim Gelcer , Jyoshna , Aindra Das , Gina Sala' , and Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits . Western Yoga centers report an increase in attendance at kirtans; according to Pure Music ’s Frank Goodman in conversation with Krishna Das in 2006, kirtan has taken on
7581-696: The Shindes , Gaekwad , Pawar , Bhonsale of Nagpur, and the Holkars . The Confederacy at its peak stretched from northern Karnataka in the south to Peshawar (modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ) briefly during the Maratha–Afghan War in the north, and to Orissa in the east. However, after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, in which the Marathas were defeated by the Afghans under Ahmed Shah Abdali ,
7714-452: The Tamil Alvars and Nayanars in around the 6th century, bhakti spread outside Tamilakam after the 12th century. The foundations of the kirtan traditions are also found in works like the Bhagavad-gita which describes the bhakti marga (path of loving devotion to god) as a means to moksha . References to kirtan as a musical recitation are also found in the Bhagavata Purana , an important Vaishnava text. The story of Prahlada in
7847-399: The Vedic anukirtana tradition, a kirtan is a call-and-response or antiphonal style song or chant , set to music, wherein multiple singers recite the names of a deity, describe a legend, express loving devotion to a deity, or discuss spiritual ideas. It may include dancing or direct expression of bhavas (emotive states) by the singer. Many kirtan performances are structured to engage
7980-411: The Vidarbha region from the Central Provinces and Berar . The enlarged state also included Gujarati -speaking areas. The southernmost part of Bombay State was ceded to Mysore . From 1954 to 1955, Marathi people strongly protested against the bilingual Bombay State , and the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti was formed to agitate for a Marathi-speaking state. At the same time, the Mahagujarat Movement
8113-458: The Yadava dynasty . Other family deities of the people of Maharashtra are Bhavani of Tuljapur , Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur , Mahalaxmi of Amravati , Renuka of Mahur , Parashuram in Konkan, Saptashringi on Saptashringa hill at Vani in Nasik district, and Balaji . Despite the system of worshipping kuladevatas, the worship of Ganesha , Vitthala , and other popular avatars of Vishnu such as Rama or Krishna are extremely popular across
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#17327865633708246-410: The kuladevata . This deity is common to a lineage or a clan of several families who are connected to each other through a common ancestor. The Khandoba of Jejuri is an example of a kuladevata of some families; he is a common kuladevata to several castes ranging from Brahmins and Dhangar to Dalits . The practice of worshiping local or territorial deities as kuladevatas began in the period of
8379-460: The naivedya is offered by families only on days of special religious significance. Many Marathi people trace their paternal ancestors to one of the seven or eight sages, the saptarshi . They classify themselves as gotras, named after the ancestor rishi . Intra-marriage within gotras (Sagotra Vivaha) was uncommon until recently, being discouraged as it was likened to incest. Most Marathi families have their own family patron or protective deity or
8512-416: The 17th century, when the Maratha Empire was established by Shivaji in 1674. According to R. G. Bhandarkar , the term Maratha is derived from Rattas, a tribe which held political supremacy in the Deccan from the remotest time. The Rattas called themselves Maha Rattas or Great Rattas, and thus the country in which they lived came to be called Maharashtra , the Sanskrit of which is Maha-rashtra. In
8645-414: The 1930s, Jedhe merged the non-Brahmin party with the Congress party and changed that party from an upper-caste-dominated body to a more broadly based but also Maratha-dominated party. The early 20th century also saw the rise of B. R. Ambedkar , who led the campaign for the rights of the dalits caste that included his own Mahar caste. The Hindu nationalist organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS )
8778-483: The 1990s it led the government of Maharashtra's coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). During this transition from founding to capturing power, the party toned down its rhetoric against non-Marathi people and adopted a more Hindu nationalist stance. The Marathi people form an ethnolinguistic group that is distinct from others in terms of its language, history, cultural and religious practices, social structure, literature, and art. The traditional caste hierarchy
8911-410: The 20th century with the blessing of Shahu , the ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur . The campaign took off in the early 1920s under the leadership of Keshavrao Jedhe and Baburao Javalkar. Both belonged to the non-Brahmin party. Capturing the Ganpati and Shivaji festivals from Brahmin domination were their early goals. They combined nationalism with anti-casteism as the party's aims. Later on in
9044-400: The 8th to the 10th century. The Persian merchant and traveller, Sulaiman al-Tajir , who wrote of his many voyages to India and China in the mid-9th century CE, called the ruler of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, Amoghavarsha , "one of the four great kings of the world". From the early 11th century to the 12th century, the Deccan Plateau was dominated by the Western Chalukya Empire and
9177-420: The Kirtan Kul in Sangli, the Akhil Bharatiya Kirtan Sanstha in Dadar, Mumbai, the Narad Mandir at Sadashiv Peth, Pune and the Kalidas Mahavidyalay in Ramtek , Nagpur as well as at smaller schools in Goa, Beed and Ujjain. Kirtan ( Gurmukhi : ਕੀਰਤਨ Kīratana ) refers to devotional singing in Sikhism . It is typically performed at Gurdwaras (Sikh temples). Sikh scriptures and legends are usually recited in
9310-477: The Maharashtra region was divided into many revenue divisions. The medieval equivalent of a county or district was the pargana . The chief of the pargana was called Deshmukh and record keepers were called Deshpande . The lowest administrative unit was the village. Village society in Marathi areas included the Patil or the head of the village, collector of revenue, and Kulkarni , the village record-keeper. These were hereditary positions. The Patil usually came from
9443-934: The Maratha caste. The Kulkarni were usually from the Marathi Brahmin or CKP caste. The village also used to have twelve hereditary servants called the Balutedar . The Balutedar system was supportive of the agriculture sector. Servants under this system provided services to the farmers and the economic system of the village. The base of this system was caste. The servants were responsible for tasks specific to their castes. There were twelve kinds of servants under Bara Balutedar: Joshi (village priest and astrologer from Brahmin caste), Sonar (goldsmith from Daiwadnya caste), Sutar (carpenter), Gurav (priest of Shiva temple), Nhawi (barber), Parit (washerman), Teli (oil pressers), Kumbhar (potter), Chambhar (cobbler), Dhor, Koli (fisherman or water carrier), Chougula (assistant to Patil), Mang (rope maker), and Mahar (village security). In this list of Balutedar: Dhor, Mang, Mahar, and Chambhar belonged to
9576-573: The Maratha power was greatly diminished. Due to the efforts of Mahadji Shinde , it remained a confederacy until the British East India Company defeated Peshwa Bajirao II . Nevertheless, several Maratha states remained as vassals of the British until 1947 when they acceded to the Dominion of India . The Marathas also developed a potent coastal navy around the 1660s. At its peak under Maratha Koli Admiral Kanhoji Angre ,
9709-512: The Marathas against the much stronger Mughal opponent, but in 1689, after being betrayed, Sambhaji was captured, tortured and killed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb . The war against the Mughals was then led by Sambhaji's younger brother and successor Rajaram I . Upon Rajaram's death in 1700, his widow Tarabai became the regent of her infant son and took command of Maratha forces . In 1707, upon
9842-489: The Marathas together against the Mughals on the basis not of any religious ideology but of a territorial cultural identity". Mahatma Gandhi , in early 20th century, while under arrest in Yerwada Central Jail by the British colonial government for his non-violent movement, read and translated Tukaram's poetry along with Upanishads , Bhagavad Gita and poems by other Bhakti movement poet-saints. Saintliness
9975-716: The Marathi language. Per Kulkarni, for the elites of the era using Persian words was a status symbol. Surnames derived from service during that period such as Fadnis, Chitnis , Mirasdar, etc. are still in use today. Most of the Marathi Bhakti poet saints, who worshipped Vitthal , belonged to the period between late Yadava and the late Islamic era. These include Dnyaneshwar , Namdev , Eknath , Bahinabai and Tukaram . Other important religious figures of this era were Narsimha Saraswati , and Mahanubhava sect founder Chakradhar Swami . Shaivite saints like Manmath swami , Gajanan Maharaj, Sant Narhari Sonar. All of them used
10108-456: The Marathi people. Marathi social reformers of the colonial era include Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule , Justice Ranade , feminist Tarabai Shinde , Dhondo Keshav Karve , Vitthal Ramji Shinde , and Pandita Ramabai . Jyotirao Phule was a pioneer in opening schools for girls and Marathi dalits castes. The non-Brahmin Hindu castes started organising at the beginning of
10241-500: The Marathi-speaking areas by the ruling Congress Party in the 1957 election, led the government under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to change its policy and agree to the protesters' demands. On 1 May 1960, the separate Marathi-speaking state was formed by dividing the earlier Bombay State into the new states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The city of Mumbai was declared the capital of the new state. The state continues to have
10374-473: The RSS-affiliated organisations. Although the British originally regarded India as a place for the supply of raw materials for the factories of England, by the end of the 19th century a modern manufacturing industry was developing in the city of Mumbai. The main product was cotton and the bulk of the workforce in these mills was of Marathi origin from Western Maharashtra, but more specifically from
10507-497: The Sanskrit-dominated dialect spoken by this caste in the city as the standard dialect for Marathi. The introduction of printing, standardisation of Marathi, and establishment of modern schools and colleges during the early colonial era led to the spread of literacy and knowledge to many different sections of society such as women, the dalits and the cultivator classes. The Marathi community played an important part in
10640-502: The United States started when the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 came into effect. Most of the Marathi immigrants who came after 1965 were professionals such as doctors, engineers or scientists. The second wave of immigration took place during the I.T. boom of the 1990s and later. Since the 1990s due to the I.T. boom and because of the general ease of travel, Marathi people are now found in greater numbers in all corners of
10773-622: The [as received] manuscripts on which the compilation relied, had been 'corrected', 'further corrected' and 'arranged'." This doctoring and rewriting over about 200 years, after Tukaram's death, has raised questions whether the modern compilation of Tukaram's poems faithfully represents what Tukaram actually thought and said, and the historicity of the document. The known manuscripts are jumbled, randomly scattered collections, without chronological sequence, and each contains some poems that are not found in all other known manuscripts. The 18th-century biographer Mahipati , in his four volume compilation of
10906-432: The audience where they either repeat the chant, or reply to the call of the singer. A kirtan performance includes an accompaniment of regionally popular musical instruments, especially Indian instruments like the Indian harmonium , the veena , sitar , or ektara ( strings ), the tabla (one-sided drums ), the mrdanga or pakhawaj (two-sided drum), flute ( woodwinds ), and karatalas or talas ( cymbals ). It
11039-509: The balutedar who adopted Buddhism in 1950s. Some of the other Marathi castes are: As the Maratha Empire expanded across India, the Marathi population started migrating out of Maharashtra alongside their rulers. Peshwa, Holkars , Scindia , and Gaekwad dynastic leaders took with them a considerable population of priests, clerks, army men, businessmen, and workers when they established new seats of power. Most of these migrants were from
11172-563: The book titled Says Tuka for which he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi award in 1994. A selection of poems of Tukaram has been translated and published by Daniel Ladinsky. Chandrakant Kaluram Mhatre has translated selected poems of Tukaram, published as One Hundred Poems of Tukaram . Tukaram's abhangs are very popular in Maharashtra. It became part of the culture of the state. Varkaris, poets and peoples study his poems. His poems are popular in rural Maharashtra and their popularity
11305-449: The child's paternal aunt has the honour of naming the infant. When the child is 11 months old, they get their first hair-cut.This is also an important ritual and is called Jawal (जावळ) . In the Maratha community, the maternal uncle is given the honour of the first snip during the ceremony. Kirtan Traditional Kirtana ( Sanskrit : कीर्तन ; IAST : Kīrtana ), also rendered as Kiirtan , Kirtan or Keertan ,
11438-475: The child's horoscope, which suggests various names depending on the child's lunar sign (called rashi ). However, in Marathi Hindu families, the name that the child inevitably uses in secular functions is the one decided by their parents. If a name is chosen on the basis of the horoscope, then that is kept a secret to ward off the casting of a spell on the child during their life. During the naming ceremony,
11571-405: The coastal Konkan region. The census recorded for the city in the first half of the 20th century showed nearly half the city's population listed Marathi as their mother tongue. During the period of 1835–1907, a large number of Indians, including Marathi people, were taken to the island of Mauritius as indentured labourers to work on sugarcane plantations. The Marathi people on the island form
11704-477: The cogitations of all the Shastras is also the same. Tuka says: The burden of the eighteen Puranas is also identical. Merit consists in doing good to others, sin in doing harm to others. There is no other pair comparable to this. Truth is the only freedom; untruth is bondage, there is no secret like this. God's name on one's lips is itself salvation, disregarding the name is perdition. Companionship of
11837-585: The complicated instrumental and vocal compositions of Indian classical ensembles. The focus of kirtan is on the lyrics or mantras, which deliver religious messages and stories. Guy Beck, writing on the northern kirtan tradition, states that "melody and rhythm are important, but devotional singers normally deplore musical virtuosity for its own sake, in contrast with the classical Hindustani and Karnatak traditions, which emphasize improvisation and technical mastery . A large variety of musical styles and forms exist, and no single formula has ever been mandated by custom to
11970-478: The conflict between Pravritti – having passion for life, family, business, and Nivritti – the desire to renounce, leave everything behind for individual liberation, moksha . Ranade states there are four major collations of Tukaram's Abhanga Gathas. Numerous inconsistent manuscripts of Tukaram Gatha are known, and scholars doubt that most of the poems attributed to Tukaram are authentic. Of all manuscripts so far discovered, four are most studied and labelled as:
12103-520: The context of a Yajna (Vedic ritual offering), which meant a dual recitation of Vedic hymns in a dialogue style that was part of a ritual dramatic performance. The Sanskrit verses in the Shatapatha Brahmana (chapter 13.2, c. 800–700 BCE), for example, are written in the form of a riddle play between two actors. According to Louis Renou, in this text, "the Vedic sacrifice ( yajna )
12236-780: The country. They have set up community organisations called Maharashtra Mandals in many cities across the country. A national level central organisation, the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal was formed in 1958 to promote Marathi culture outside Maharashtra. Several sister organisations of the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal have also been formed outside India. Source: In the mid-1800s, a large number of Indian people were taken to Mauritius , Fiji , Trinidad & Tobago , South Africa , and Eastern Africa as indentured labourers to work on sugarcane plantations. The majority of these migrants were from
12369-441: The death of Aurangzeb, the Deccan wars came to an end after Shahu, son of Sambhaji who had grown up under Mughal captivity was released, and quickly reclaimed the Maratha throne. Shahu and Tarabai briefly fought a succession battle with Shahu eventually prevailing. Shahu formally recognised Mughal suzerainty in return for tax collection rights over six Deccan provinces, and the release of his mother from Mughal captivity. Shahu I ,
12502-458: The dhruvapada style (which is similar to dhrupad ). There are various forms of Hindu kirtan, including northern traditions (often influenced by Hindustani music and Bengali music ) and southern ( Carnatic ) traditions. Speaking of the Bengali kirtan tradition, Peggy Holroyde writes that "kirtans do not strictly adhere to the raga scale and they incorporate a chorus led by a leader. Much of
12635-629: The efforts of the Christian missionary William Carey . Carey also published the first dictionary of Marathi in Devanagari script. The most comprehensive Marathi-English dictionary was compiled by Captain James Thomas Molesworth and Major Thomas Candy in 1831. The book is still in print nearly two centuries after its publication. Molesworth also worked on standardising Marathi. He used Brahmins of Pune for this task and adopted
12768-465: The entire community.The festivals of Ganeshotsav and annual wari pilgrimage to the Vitthal temple at Pandharpur are of significant importance to all Marathis alike. At birth, a child is initiated into the family ritually. The child's naming ceremony may happen many weeks or even months later, and it is called the bārsa . In many Indian Hindu communities, the naming is most often done by consulting
12901-475: The establishment by Bal Thackeray of Shiv Sena, a populist sectarian party advocating the rights of Marathi people in the heterogeneous city of Mumbai. Early campaigns by Shiv Sena advocated for more opportunities for Marathi people in government jobs. The party also led a campaign against the city's South Indian population. By the 1980s the party had captured power in the Mumbai Corporation , and in
13034-559: The evil of wrongdoings of society, social system and Maharajs by his kiratans and abhangs . He faced some opposition in society because of this. A man named Mambaji harassed him a lot, he was running a matha in Dehu and had some followers. Initially Tukaram gave him the job of doing puja at his temple, but he was jealous of Tukaram by seeing Tukaram getting respect among the village people. He once hit Tukaram by thorn's stick. He used foul language against Tukaram. Later Mambaji also became admirer of Tukaram. He became his student. It
13167-418: The exclusion of others. Musicians and religious leaders thus freely compose religious and devotional songs." However, some kirtan styles are highly refined and technical, like dhrupad and Bengali padavali kirtan, which is considered by Bengalis to be the most cultured religious music. Regarding the arrangement, most kirtan performances are done by a group, with a choir led by a lead singer sitting on
13300-402: The floor, though sometimes, kirtan is done by standing group in temples, religious processions, or on the street. Generally speaking, the performance may begin with recitations of Sanskrit mantras, like Om , names of deities, and may also include some Sanskrit prayers. Then the lead singer sings a song or a mantra while accompanying himself with a versatile instrument (like a harmonium or
13433-420: The good is the only heaven, indifference is hell. Tuka says: It is thus clear what is good and what is injurious, let people choose what they will. Sant Tukaram also had a profound influence on K. B. Hedgewar as the former's quotes often found their way on the latter's letterhead. One such letter dated April 6, 1940 bore the quote "Daya tiche nanwa bhutanche palan, aanik nirdalan kantkache", meaning compassion
13566-655: The grandson of Shivaji, with the help of capable Maratha administrators and generals such as the Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath and his descendants, saw the greatest expansion of the Maratha power. After Shahu's death in 1749, the Peshwa Nanasaheb and his successors became the virtual rulers of the Maratha Confederacy. The Maratha Confederacy was expanded by many Marathi chieftains including Peshwa Bajirao Ballal I and his descendants,
13699-503: The historical Gurus, but major temples in the Sikh tradition recite Kirtan every day as a mark of daily bhakti (devotional remembrance) of God's name. This congregational setting is called a Sangat or Satsang , a word that in ancient Indian texts means "like minded individuals, or fellow travelers on a spiritual journey". Numerous Buddhist traditions use vocal music with instrumental accompaniment as part of their rituals and devotional practices. Buddhist vocal music and chanting
13832-804: The intermediate category include: Gujjars , Lingayats and Rajputs who migrated centuries ago to Maharashtra from northern and southern India – and settled in Maharashtra. The population of the Mangs was 8%. Majority of Marathi Hindu belong either to the cultivator caste cluster of Maratha and Kunbi , or one of the former village servant ( Bara Balutedar ) castes which include Shimpi (Tailor), Lohar (Iron-smith), Suthar (carpenters), Mali (florists and cultivators), Dhobhi or Parit (washer), Gurav (village priest), Kumbhar (potters), Sonar (Goldsmith), Teli (oil pressers), Lingayats , Chambhar (cobbler), Mang (rope makers), Koli (fishermen or water carriers) and Nabhik (barbers). The Mahar were one of
13965-564: The late 1940s and early 1950s. The number of Bene Israel remaining in India was estimated to be around 4,000–5,000 in 1988. In 1956, the States Reorganisation Act reorganised the Indian states along linguistic lines, and the Bombay Presidency State was enlarged by the addition of the predominantly Marathi-speaking regions of Marathwada ( Aurangabad Division ) from the erstwhile Hyderabad state and
14098-602: The literate classes such as various Brahmin sub-castes and CKP . These groups formed the backbone of administration in the new Maratha Empire states in many places such as Vyara - Songadh of ( Surat ), Baroda ( Vadodara ), Indore , Gwalior , Bundelkhand , and Tanjore . Many families belonging to these groups still follow Marathi traditions even though they have lived more than 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from Maharashtra for more than 200 years. Other people have migrated in modern times in search of jobs outside Maharashtra. These people have also settled in almost all parts of
14231-511: The lives of many Bhakti movement sants , included Tukaram. Mahipati's treatise has been translated by Justin Abbott. A translation of about 3,700 poems from Tukaram Gatha in English was published, in three volumes, between 1909 and 1915, by Fraser and Marathe. In 1922, Fraser and Edwards published his biography and religious ideas incorporating some translations of Tukaram's poems, and included
14364-773: The modernist movements of Swami Sivananda , Anandamayi Ma , Sri Aurobindo , and A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada . In Andhra Pradesh , the compositions of the Tallapaka Annamacharya , a 14th-century Vaishnava mystic, represent the earliest known southern music called "sankirtana". He wrote in praise of Lord Venkateswara , the deity of Seven Hills in Tirumala . During his long and prolific career, he reputedly composed and sang 32,000 Sankirtanas and 12 Shatakas (sets of hundred verses) in both Telugu and Sanskrit . There are three main styles of Marathi kirtan , Varkari, Naradiya and Jugalbandi. Varkari Kirtan
14497-422: The musical value is subordinated to the sentimental emotion expressed in the words of the song." Regarding the southern (Carnatic) traditions of kirtan, they are generally "less ornate" than northern kirtan, making less use of " grace , trills and arabesques ", but they are also much more structured musical forms. While kirtan is influenced by the practice of Indian classical music, they are much simpler than
14630-557: The names of God, katha or Akhyan (a story to support the lesson), final prayer. The Naradiya Marathi Kirtan popular in Maharashtra is most often performed by a single performer, and contains the poetry of saints of Maharashtra such as Dnyaneshwar , Eknath , Namdev and Tukaram . Learned poets from 17th and 18th century such as Shridhar, Mahipati , and Moropant contributed to develop this form of kirtan. A Naradiya kirtan performance can last for period of any length, from half an hour to three hours. Attendees may wear traditional clothing and
14763-399: The naval force dominated the territorial waters of the western coast of India from Mumbai to Sawantwadi . It would engage in attacking British , Portuguese , Dutch , and Siddi naval ships and kept a check on their naval ambitions. The Maratha Navy dominated until around the 1730s, but was in a state of decline by the 1770s, and ceased to exist entirely by 1818. Before British rule,
14896-498: The north. During this time, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu popularized Krishna based kirtan in Bengal , promoting and teaching the singing of Vaishnava songs which celebrate the love between Radha and Krishna, understood as being the love between the soul and God. Chaitanya is also known as the father of padavali singing, a highly developed and complex musical tradition. About the same time, Shankaradeva (1449–1568) in Assam inspired
15029-537: The oldest diaspora of Marathi people outside India. After India gained independence from Britain in 1947, all princely states lying within the borders of the Bombay Presidency acceded to the Indian Union and were integrated into the newly created Bombay State in 1950. The small community of Marathi Jews ( Bene Israel – Sons of Israel) started emigrating to the newly created country of Israel in
15162-492: The performers use instruments like the Indian harmonium, drums, and string instruments of various types mostly "Zanz", "chipali", "Tal" or "Chimata". Naradiya kirtan performers are usually very learned in literature, music, dance, acting and comedy. Jugalbandi Kirtan is performed by two persons, allowing question-answer, dialogue and debate. Performance requires skill in music, dance, comedy, oratory, debate, memory, general knowledge and Sanskrit literature. Training takes place at
15295-441: The poems himself, they were written down much later, by others from memory. Tukaram denounced mechanical rites, rituals, sacrifices, vows and instead encouraged direct form of bhakti (devotion). Tukaram encouraged kirtan as a music imbued, community-oriented group singing and dancing form of bhakti . He considered kirtan not just a means to learn about Bhakti, but Bhakti itself. The greatest merit in kirtan, according to Tukaram,
15428-472: The population of Maharashtra. They dominate the cooperative institutions and with the resultant economic power control politics from the village level up to the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats. Since the 1980s, this group has also been active in setting up private educational institutions. Major past political figures of Maharashtra have been from this group. The rise of the Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena and
15561-475: The rule of the Delhi Sultanate , down to the 17th-century, the legacy of Tukaram and his poet-predecessors, "gave voice to a deep-rooted collective identity among Marathi-speakers". Dilip Chitre summarizes the legacy of Tukaram and Bhakti movement sants , during this period of Hindu-Muslim wars, as transforming "language of shared religion, and religion a shared language. It is they who helped to bind
15694-697: The rule of the Satavahana dynasty , which ruled the region for 400 years. The Vakataka dynasty then ruled Maharashtra from the 3rd century to the 5th century AD, and the Chalukya dynasty from the 6th century to the 8th century. The two prominent rulers were Pulakeshin II , who defeated the Kannauj Emperor Harsh , and Vikramaditya II , who defeated Arab invaders (Umayyad Caliphate) in the 8th century. The Rashtrakuta dynasty ruled Maharashtra from
15827-519: The service of God, castes do not matter", "castes do not matter, it is God's name that matters", and "an outcast who loves the Name of God is verily a Brahmin; in him have tranquility, forbearance, compassion and courage made their home". 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
15960-561: The singer calls a spiritual chant, a hymn or a devotional theme, the audience responds by repeating the chant or by chanting back a reply of their shared beliefs. Musical recitation of hymns, mantras and the praise of deities has ancient roots in Hinduism, and may be found in the Vedic literature . A key feature of popular Hindu kirtan is that it is mostly sung in vernacular languages like Hindi and Bengali (unlike Vedic chanting , which
16093-700: The social and religious reform movements, as well as the Indian nationalist movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Notable civil society bodies founded by Marathi leaders during the 19th century include the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha , the Prarthana Samaj , the Arya Mahila Samaj, and the Satya Shodhak Samaj . The Pune Sarvajanik Sabha took an active part in relief efforts during the famine of 1875–1876. It
16226-466: The twenty one, four women are celebrated as sant, born in two Brahmin and two non-Brahmin families. Tukaram's effort at social reforms within Varakari-sampraday must be viewed in this historical context and as part of the overall movement, states Lorenzen. Tukaram composed Abhanga poetry, a Marathi genre of literature which is metrical (traditionally the ovi meter), simple, direct, and it fuses folk stories with deeper spiritual themes. Tukaram's work
16359-432: The untouchable group of castes. In exchange for their services, the balutedars were granted complex sets of hereditary rights (watan) to a share in the village harvest. The British rule of more than a century in the present-day Maharashtra region saw huge changes for the Marathi people in every aspect of their lives. Areas that correspond to present-day Maharashtra were under direct or indirect British rule, first under
16492-594: The whole world. The Puranas have unmistakably taught the universal immanence of God. The sants have told us that the world is filled by God. Tuka indeed is playing in the world uncontaminated by it like the Sun which stands absolutely transcendent". 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: When salt
16625-915: The world including the United States, Australia, Canada, the Gulf countries, European countries, Iran, and Pakistan. After the third battle of Panipat, Marathi people settled in Sindh and Balochisthan region (modern day Pakistan). After partition of India, many Marathi Hindus came to India. But, 500–1000 Marathi Hindus also lives in Karachi city of Sindh province. The majority of Marathi people are Hindus . Minorities by religion include Muslims , Buddhists , Jains , Christians , Parsis and Jews . The main life ceremonies in Hindu culture include those related to birth, weddings, initiation ceremonies, as well as death rituals. Other ceremonies for different occasions in Hindu life include Vastushanti and "Satyanarayan" which
16758-517: Was an early proponent of kirtan in the West . He chanted Guru Nanak Dev 's Hey Hari Sundara ("Oh God Beautiful") with 3,000 people at Carnegie Hall in 1923. Kirtan became more common with the spread of Indian religious movements in the West in the 1960s. Movements which were influential in bringing Indian kirtan to West include the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), 3HO (Sikh followers of Yogi Bhajan ),
16891-557: Was formed as a Marathi-speaking state of India on 1 May 1960, as part of a nationwide linguistic reorganisation of the Indian states . The term "Maratha" is generally used by historians to refer to all Marathi-speaking peoples, irrespective of their caste ; However, it may refer to a Maharashtrian caste known as the Maratha which also includes farmer sub castes like the Kunbis . The Marathi community came into political prominence in
17024-567: Was founded and led by Marathis from Nagpur for many decades. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1889–1966), a Marathi from Nashik district, an Indian independence activist , who advocated violence to overthrow British rule in his youth, later formulated the Hindu nationalist philosophy of Hindutva . He was a leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha . Savarkar's Hindutva philosophy remains the guiding principle for organisations that are part of
17157-854: Was headed by the Brahmin castes-the Deshasthas , Chitpavans , Karhades , Saraswats , and the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus . In Mumbai during British rule, this included the Pathare Prabhu and the other communities. The Marathas are 32% in Western Maharashtra and the Kunbis were 7%, whereas the Other Backward Class population (other than the Kunbi) was 27%. The other castes in
17290-400: Was in the hands of Marathas who held watans (hereditary rights) of Patilki (revenue collection at village level), and Deshmukhi (revenue collection over a larger area). A number of families such as Bhosale , Shirke , Ghorpade, Jadhav , More , Mahadik , Ghatge , Gharge and Nimbalkar loyally served different sultans at different periods of time. All watandar considered their watan
17423-522: Was liberated in 1962. The main political party formed immediately after liberation was the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party . It wanted Goa to merge with Maharashtra because of the affinity between Goan Hindus and the Marathi people. However, the referendum held on this issue rejected the merger. Later, Konkani was made the official language of Goa, but Marathi is also allowed in any government correspondence. The 1960s also saw
17556-528: Was pioneered by Sant Namdev (1270–1350) in Maharashtra . It is usually based on the works of seven famous Maharashtri saints: Saint Nivruttinath, Sant Dnyaneshwar , Sopandev, Muktabai, saint Eknath, Saint Namdev, and Saint Tukaram . Marathi kirtan is typically performed by one or two main performers, accompanied by harmonium and tabla . It involves singing, acting, dancing, and story-telling. The show goes for two or three hours as time permits and
17689-496: Was started, seeking a separate Gujarati-speaking state. A number of mainly Pune-based leaders such as Keshavrao Jedhe, S.M. Joshi , Shripad Amrit Dange , and Pralhad Keshav Atre formed the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement , alongside Vidarbha-based leaders such as Gopalrao Khedkar , to fight for a separate state of Maharashtra with Mumbai as its state capital. Mass protests, 105 deaths, and heavy losses in
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