Bhaktikal - The Golden Era Of Hindi Literature

“Ordered a book referred in the media, ‘The Age of Genius The Seventeenth Century’ and run through some pages .. engrossed with the reason why the 17th century was the age of genius .. for it was then that reforms in mind and matter took place the most in the Western world ..” (DAY - 3029)

Being an old student of Hindi literature from Delhi University, the title of the book, ‘The Age of Genius The Seventeenth Century’ took me instantly to ‘Bhaktikal’ - from 1375 to 1700 - in which many a genius poets participated in Bhakti  movement that had a remarkable influence  on the development of Hindi literature. This period  laid emphasis on the importance of knowledge for the realisation of the Omnipresent. The 'Saint poets', Goswami Tulsidas, Kabir Das, Guru Nanak, Surdas, Mirabai and others of that period precisely belong to this genre in Hindi literature. Poets who conceived that love was the sole path to realise God, were referred to as Sufi Poets, a significant development in the advancing Hindi literature. Jayasi, Manjhan, Kutuban and Usman were the pioneers of this school of writing and belief. The Devotional Period or Bhaktikal in Hindi literature indeed had given rise to 'immortal literature' and is distinguished as the Golden Age of Hindi Poetry.

Tulsidas was the leading poet of the Bhaktikal. Shri Ramcharitmanas is an epic poem in Awadhi, composed by him. Shri Ramcharitmanas literally means "lake of the deeds of Rama". Tulsidas compared the seven Kandas of the epic to seven steps leading into the holy waters of a Himalayan lake (Manasa, as in Lake Manasarovar) which "purifies the body and the soul at once".  Tulsidas portrays Rama as the Ideal Man in his classical works Ramcharitmanas, Gitavali, Kavitavali and Vinay Patrika.He was acclaimed in his lifetime to be a reincarnation of Valmiki, the composer of the original Ramayana in Sanskrit. He is also considered to be the composer of the Hanuman Chalisa, a popular devotional hymn dedicated to Hanuman, the divine devotee of Rama. He has been acclaimed as one of the greatest poets in Hindi, Indian, and world literature. The impact of Tulsidas and his works on the art, culture and society in India is widespread and is seen to date in vernacular language Ramlila plays, Hindustani classical music, popular music, and television series.

In Priyadas' biography, Tulsidas is attributed with the power of working miracles. In one such miracle, he is believed to have brought back a dead Brahmin to life. While the Brahmin was being taken for cremation, his widow bowed down to Tulsidas on the way who addressed her as Saubhagyavati (a woman whose husband is alive). The widow told Tulsidas her husband had just died, so his words could not be true. Tulsidas said that the word has passed his lips and so he would restore the dead man to life. He asked everybody present to close their eyes and utter the name of Rama, on doing which the dead Brahmin was raised back to life.

In another miracle described by Priyadas, the emperor of Delhi, Akbar summoned Tulsidas on hearing of his bringing back a dead man to life. Tulsidas declined to go as he was too engrossed in creating his verses but he was later forcibly brought before the Emperor and was asked to perform a miracle, which Tulsidas declined by saying "It's a lie, all I know is Rama." The emperor imprisoned Tulsidas at Fatehpur Sikri, "We will see this Rama.” Tulsidas refused to bow to Akbar and created a verse in praise of Hanuman and chanted it ( Hanuman Chalisa ) for forty days and suddenly an army of monkeys descended upon the town and wreaked havoc in all corners of Fatehpur Sikri, entering each home and the emperor's harem, scratching people and throwing bricks from ramparts. An old Hafiz told the emperor that this was the miracle of the imprisoned Fakir. The emperor fell at Tulsidas' feet, released him and apologised. Tulsidas stopped the menace of monkeys and asked the emperor to abandon the place. The emperor agreed and moved back to Delhi. Ever since Akbar became a close friend of Tulsidas and he also ordered a firman that followers of Rama, Hanuman & other Hindus, should not be harassed in his kingdom.

In Priyadas' biography, Tulsidas is attributed with the power of working miracles. In one such miracle, he is believed to have brought back a dead Brahmin to life. While the Brahmin was being taken for cremation, his widow bowed down to Tulsidas on the way who addressed her as Saubhagyavati (a woman whose husband is alive). The widow told Tulsidas her husband had just died, so his words could not be true. Tulsidas said that the word has passed his lips and so he would restore the dead man to life. He asked everybody present to close their eyes and utter the name of Rama, on doing which the dead Brahmin was raised back to life.

In another miracle described by Priyadas, the emperor of Delhi, Akbar summoned Tulsidas on hearing of his bringing back a dead man to life. Tulsidas declined to go as he was too engrossed in creating his verses but he was later forcibly brought before the Akbar and was asked to perform a miracle, which Tulsidas declined by saying "It's a lie, all I know is Rama." The emperor imprisoned Tulsidas at Fatehpur Sikri, "We will see this Rama."[63] Tulsidas refused to bow to Akbar and created a verse in praise of Hanuman and chanted it ( Hanuman Chalisa ) for forty days[ and suddenly an army of monkeys descended upon the town and wreaked havoc in all corners of Fatehpur Sikri,[64] entering each home and the emperor's harem, scratching people and throwing bricks from ramparts An old Hafiz told the emperor that this was the miracle of the imprisoned Fakir. The emperor fell at Tulsidas' feet, released him and apologised.Tulsidas stopped the menace of monkeys and asked the emperor to abandon the place. The emperor agreed and moved back to Delhi. Ever since Akbar became a close friend of Tulsidas and he also ordered a firman that followers of Rama, Hanuman & other Hindus, should not be harassed in his kingdom.

“No virtue is equal to the good of others and

no vice greater than hurting others.”

• Tulsidas in "A Garden of Deeds: Ramcharitmanas, a Message of Human Ethics", p. 37