Bhakti and Sufi Movement Quiz: Clerkship 2024 Preparation
A little practice. A step forward.
10 questions from the notes on the Bhakti and Sufi movements. 30 seconds a question; read the explanation with each answer. 📖 Read the detailed topic
The Alvar saints were devotees of which deity?
The Alvars of Tamil Nadu, twelve of them, were devotees of Vishnu. The Nayanars of the same period (63 of them) worshipped Shiva, which is why 'Shiva' is the trap. Both groups began the Bhakti movement with Tamil devotional hymns between the 6th and 9th centuries CE.
- Alvars: 12, devotees of Vishnu
- Nayanars: 63, devotees of Shiva
- Began in Tamil Nadu, 6th–9th century
- Alvar = Vishnu, Nayanar = Shiva: easily swapped
- The smaller number (12) goes with Vishnu's Alvars, the larger (63) with Shiva's Nayanars
| Group | Deity | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Alvars | Vishnu | 12 |
| Nayanars | Shiva | 63 |
Who propounded Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism)?
Vishishtadvaita was taught by Ramanuja in the 11th–12th century. Shankaracharya taught Advaita, Madhvacharya Dvaita and Vallabhacharya Shuddhadvaita; all four are schools of Vedanta, which is why the options are easily confused.
- Ramanuja was born at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
- Shankara: Advaita; Madhva: Dvaita
- Vallabha: Shuddhadvaita, Pushti Marg
- Advaita (Shankara) and Vishishtadvaita (Ramanuja) are different
- In time order Shankara → Ramanuja → Madhva: Advaita → Vishishtadvaita → Dvaita
| Acharya | School |
|---|---|
| Shankaracharya | Advaita |
| Ramanuja | Vishishtadvaita |
| Madhvacharya | Dvaita |
| Vallabhacharya | Shuddhadvaita |
Where was Sri Chaitanya born?
Sri Chaitanya was born at Nabadwip in Nadia in 1486. Puri is where he spent his last years, which makes it the usual wrong answer. He preached Gaudiya Vaishnavism and congregational chanting of God's name (nama-sankirtan).
- Born 1486, Nabadwip (Nadia)
- Gaudiya Vaishnavism, nama-sankirtan
- Last years at Puri
- Birthplace Nabadwip, last years Puri
- Born in Nabadwip, ended in Puri
Kabir is known as the disciple of whom?
By tradition Kabir was a disciple of Ramananda of Varanasi. Ramanuja has a similar name but was a South Indian acharya of the 11th–12th century, long before Kabir. Chaitanya and Nanak came after Kabir.
- Kabir: 15th century, Varanasi, a weaver
- Works: dohas, collected in the 'Bijak'
- Ravidas was another disciple of Ramananda
- Ramananda (Kabir's guru) and Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita) are different people
- Ramananda → Kabir and Ravidas: the North Indian line
Who founded the Chishti order (silsila) in India?
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti came to India at the end of the 12th century and made Ajmer the centre of the Chishti order. Nizamuddin Auliya was a later, famous Chishti saint, not the founder. Bahauddin Zakariya belonged to the Suhrawardi order and Baqi Billah to the Naqshbandi.
- Centre: Ajmer; the Ajmer Sharif dargah
- Title: 'Gharib Nawaz'
- The Chishtis kept away from the royal court
- The Chishti road: Ajmer (Moinuddin) → Delhi (Nizamuddin) → Fatehpur Sikri (Salim)
| Order | Leading Sufi in India | Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Chishti | Moinuddin Chishti | Ajmer |
| Suhrawardi | Bahauddin Zakariya | Multan |
| Naqshbandi | Baqi Billah | Delhi |
| Qadiri | Mian Mir | Lahore |
Where is the dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya?
Nizamuddin Auliya was a Chishti Sufi of Delhi and his dargah is in Delhi. Ajmer has Moinuddin Chishti's dargah, Fatehpur Sikri Salim Chishti's tomb, and Multan was the centre of the Suhrawardi order.
- Nizamuddin Auliya died in 1325
- His disciple: Amir Khusrau
- Chishti order
- One of Delhi's big railway stations is named Hazrat Nizamuddin
In which language is Tulsidas's 'Ramcharitmanas' written?
Tulsidas wrote the 'Ramcharitmanas' in Awadhi in the 16th century; he was a contemporary of Akbar. Surdas wrote in Braj Bhasha (the 'Sursagar'), the biggest trap here. Valmiki's Ramayana is in Sanskrit.
- Ramcharitmanas: Awadhi, Tulsidas
- Sursagar: Braj Bhasha, Surdas
- Valmiki's Ramayana: Sanskrit
- Surdas wrote in Braj, Tulsidas in Awadhi
- Tulsi Awadhi, Sur Braj: Rama in Awadhi, Krishna in Braj
What are the devotional songs of Sant Tukaram called?
Sant Tukaram of Maharashtra (17th century) wrote 'abhangas' in Marathi to Vithoba of Pandharpur. Dohas are Kabir's, vachanas are Basavanna's Kannada sayings, and kirtan goes with Chaitanya's congregational chanting.
- Tukaram: 17th century, Maharashtra
- Varkari tradition, Vithoba of Pandharpur
- Namdev, Jnaneshwar, Eknath: the same tradition
- Tukaram–Abhanga, Kabir–Doha, Basavanna–Vachana
| Saint | Form | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Tukaram | Abhanga | Marathi |
| Kabir | Doha | Hindi |
| Basavanna | Vachana | Kannada |
Basavanna is associated with which movement?
In 12th-century Karnataka Basavanna built the Virashaiva or Lingayat movement; its followers worship Shiva and reject caste. Varkari is the Vithoba tradition of Maharashtra, Ekasarana is Sankardev's in Assam, and Pushti Marg is Vallabhacharya's.
- Basavanna: 12th century, Karnataka
- Virashaiva = Lingayat, devotees of Shiva
- Works: Kannada 'vachanas'
- Basavanna–Virashaiva: B and V sit side by side
| Movement | Founder / centre | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Virashaiva (Lingayat) | Basavanna | Karnataka |
| Varkari | Vithoba, Pandharpur | Maharashtra |
| Ekasarana | Sankardev | Assam |
| Pushti Marg | Vallabhacharya | North India |
Amir Khusrau was the disciple of which Sufi saint?
The poet and musician Amir Khusrau was a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi; he is called 'Tuti-i-Hind' (the parrot of India). Baba Farid was Nizamuddin's own teacher, Moinuddin came earlier still, and Salim Chishti lived in Akbar's time, long after Khusrau.
- Amir Khusrau: 'Tuti-i-Hind'
- A major figure in the growth of qawwali
- The line: Baba Farid → Nizamuddin → Khusrau
- Khusrau and Nizamuddin lie buried in the same complex in Delhi
📊 Topic Analysis
10 questions from the notes on the Bhakti and Sufi movements. 30 seconds a question; read the explanation with each answer.
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