Bhakti poets’ equality vision transcends modernity: scholar

Deccan Herald reports on a conference at Vidyashilp University that explored equality in Indian thought, challenging the notion that equality is a modern ideal. Organised by a Vidyashilp Professor, the event featured verses from saint-poets like Devara Dasimayya, Nammalvar, Lal Ded, Ravidas, Mirabai, Bulleh Shah, Vemana, and Narayana Guru.

The conference opened with Atmageete, a concert by singer M D Pallavi, who sang selected verses. The professor argued that these historical texts offer moral imaginations of equality distinct from modern frameworks, citing examples such as Dasimayya's vision of a genderless self and Narayana Guru's compassion for all living beings. The verses, he noted, have had real-world consequences, including new faith communities.

The article also mentions that the professor reflected on the philosophical underpinnings of the verses, questioning whether full acceptance of their theological worldviews is necessary to appreciate their moral poetry. He drew on a personal lesson about charity from his mother, which he later learned had biblical origins, to illustrate that meaning can transcend origins.