Description

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Context

India Post released a commemorative stamp on Mata Karma 11^th century Krishna devotee & social reformer highlighting her role in Jagannath Temple traditions & her contributions to social harmony & women empowerment.

Mata Karma

Aspect	Details
Name	Mata Karma
Birth	11th Century CE
Birth Anniversary	1009th celebrated in 2025
Devotion	Lord Krishna
Region	Present-day Chhattisgarh
Key Contribution	Initiated khichdi offering ritual at Jagannath Temple, Puri
Social Reform	Opposed untouchability, promoted social unity
Cultural Impact	Associated with devotional traditions & ritual purity
Commemoration	2025 Stamp issued by India Post
Legacy	Symbol of women empowerment, bhakti devotion & cultural integration

Bhakti Saints of India

Saint	Era	Region	Deity Focused On	Key Teachings/Works	Social Reform Contributions
Ravidas	15th century	Varanasi	Nirguna Bhakti (Formless God)	Spiritual equality, poems (Padas)	Against caste system
Kabir	15th century	Uttar Pradesh	Nirguna Bhakti	Dohas, unity of all religions	Critique of orthodoxy
Meera Bai	16th century	Rajasthan	Lord Krishna	Bhajans, intense devotion	Women's spiritual expression
Namdev	13th century	Maharashtra	Vithoba (Krishna)	Abhangas	Devotion beyond caste
Tulsidas	16th century	Uttar Pradesh	Rama	Ramcharitmanas	Simplified religious access
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu	15th century	Bengal/Odisha	Krishna	Kirtans, Vaishnavism revival	Community devotion
Alvars	6^thto 9th century	Tamil Nadu	Vishnu	Divya Prabandham	Bhakti in vernacular
Nayanars	6^th to 8th century	Tamil Nadu	Shiva	Hymns in Tamil	Bhakti movement in Shaivism

Jagannath Temple

Aspect	Details
Location	Puri, Odisha
Deity Worshipped	Jagannath (form of Vishnu/Krishna) along with Balabhadra & Subhadra
Built By	King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva (12th century)
Key Festival	Rath Yatra annual chariot procession
Unique Features	Wooden idols replaced cyclically; non-Brahmin cooks in temple kitchen
Kitchen Tradition	Largest open kitchen in world; 56 varieties (Chhappan Bhog) offered
Connection with Mata Karma	Khichdi offering as part of temple tradition initiated by Mata Karma
Religious Philosophy	Emphasis on Vaishnavism, community bhakti & social inclusion

Major Social Reformers of India

Reformer	Era	Area of Work	Key Contributions
Raja Ram Mohan Roy	1772–1833	Bengal	Abolition of Sati, founder of Brahmo Samaj
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar	1820–1891	Bengal	Widow remarriage, education for girls
Jyotiba Phule	1827–1890	Maharashtra	Education for Dalits, women; founded Satyashodhak Samaj
Savitribai Phule	1831–1897	Maharashtra	India’s first female teacher, social upliftment
Swami Vivekananda	1863–1902	All India	Vedanta revival, youth empowerment, social harmony
Mahatma Gandhi	1869–1948	Pan-India	Harijan upliftment, non-violence, Gram Swaraj
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar	1891–1956	Maharashtra / National	Dalit rights, Constitution drafting, social justice
Periyar (E.V. Ramasamy)	1879–1973	Tamil Nadu	Anti-caste movement, Self-Respect Movement
Mother Teresa	1910–1997	Kolkata	Humanitarian work among poor, lepers & orphans

Bhakti Movement vs Sufi Movement in India

Aspect	Bhakti Movement	Sufi Movement
Origin	Indigenous to India; rooted in Hindu philosophy	Islamic mysticism with origins in Persia & Central Asia
Time Period	Gained momentum between 7th & 17th centuries	Reached India around 11th–12th centuries, flourished till 17th c.
Religious Affiliation	Hinduism (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism branches)	Islam (Sunni & Shia mostly Sunni Sufis in India)
Core Philosophy	Personal devotion (bhakti) to a personal God (Saguna/Nirguna)	Inner mystical path to God (tariqa) seeking divine love & unity
God Concept	Both Saguna (with form) & Nirguna (formless) traditions	Absolute monotheism belief in one formless God (Allah)
Language of Preaching	Regional vernaculars (Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, etc.)	Persian, Arabic & local languages like Urdu & Punjabi
Major Practices	Bhajans, Kirtans, Japa (chanting), temple rituals, poetry	Sama (music), Zikr (chanting names of Allah), meditation, poetry
Notable Saints/Mystics	Kabir, Mirabai, Tulsidas, Surdas, Namdev, Ravidas, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu	Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Nizamuddin Auliya, Bulleh Shah, Shah Hussain
Attitude Towards Rituals	Opposed ritualism & caste orthodoxy	Opposed rigid Sharia, stressed inner purity & spiritual equality
View on Caste System	Strongly against caste & Brahmanical supremacy	Promoted equality of all believers; emphasized inner piety over lineage
Religious Texts	Personal poems (e.g. Kabir Dohas, Tulsidas Ramcharitmanas)	Sufi poetry (e.g., Rumi, Bulleh Shah), treatises, Malfuzat
Institutional Setup	Informal, temple- or hermitage-based spiritual circles	Khanqahs (Sufi hospices), Dargahs (shrines of saints)
Attitude to Women	Supported women saints (e.g., Mirabai, Andal)	Some women Sufis existed (e.g., Rabia al-Basri); less visible in Indian Sufism
Goal of Devotion	Moksha (liberation), union with personal deity	Fana (annihilation of self in God), spiritual closeness to Allah
Social Impact	Broke social barriers; popularized vernacular devotional literature	Promoted Hindu-Muslim syncretism; influenced Indian music & art
Festivals/Cultural Forms	Ram Navami, Krishna Janmashtami, Kirtan melas, bhajan traditions	Urs (death anniversaries of saints), Qawwali music, Sufi poetry