Bhoja Bhagat (1785–1850), also known as Bhojal or Bhojalram, was a
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
saint poet from
Gujarat
Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
, India.
Life
Bhoja or Bhojo was born in 1785 in Leuva
Patidar
Patidar (Gujarati language, Gujarati: ), formerly known as Kunbi, Kanbi (Gujarati language, Gujarati: ), is an Indian land-owning and peasant Caste system in India, caste and community native to Gujarat. The community comprises at multiple sub ...
Saurashtra
Saurashtra, Sourashtra, or variants may refer to:
** Kathiawar, also called Saurashtra Peninsula, a peninsula in western India
** Saurashtra (state), alias United State of Kathiawar, a former Indian state, merged into Bombay State and since its d ...
. His father's name was Karshandas and mother was Gangabai and family surname was Savaliya. He met his guru, a
sanyasi
''Sannyasa'' (), sometimes spelled ''sanyasa'', is the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' ashramas'', the first three being '' brahmacharya'' (celibate student), '' grihastha'' (householder) and '' vanaprasth ...
from
Girnar
Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. It is one of the holiest pilgrimages of Jains, where the 22nd Tirthankara, Tirthaṅkar, Lord Neminath attained omniscience, and later nirvana at its highest peak (''Neminath Shikhar''), ...
at age of 12. Later, when he was 24, the family shifted to Fatehpur near
Amreli
Amreli is a city and a municipality in Amreli district in Indian state of Gujarat.
History
It is believed that during 534 AD Amreli existed was formerly known as Anumanji, Amlik and then Amravati. The city is named in ancient Gujrati as ''Amar ...
, Gujarat. He came to be known as Bhoja Bhagat (
Bhagat
Bhagat is a term used in the Indian subcontinent to describe religious figures who have obtained high acclaim in their communities for their acts and devotion. It is also a term ascribed to one of the clans in the Mahar caste, with their clan ...
derived from ''Bhakt'', devotee) and Bhojalram in his later life.
By occupation he was a farmer. Although, he was an illiterate, but with blessings of his
Guru
Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
in
Girnar
Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. It is one of the holiest pilgrimages of Jains, where the 22nd Tirthankara, Tirthaṅkar, Lord Neminath attained omniscience, and later nirvana at its highest peak (''Neminath Shikhar''), ...
, he wrote poems and songs condemning social inequities, which became well known as .
Bhoja Bhagat died in 1850 at age of 65 at Virpur, where he had gone to visit his disciple Jalaram. His memorial temple (called locally) is located at Virpur.
Works
He liked to call himself as ''Bhojal'' in his verses. As a poet and philosopher he also wrote ''
Aarti
''Arti'' () or ''Aarati'' () is a Hindu ritual employed in worship, part of a ''Puja (Hinduism), puja'', in which light from a flame (fuelled by camphor, ghee, or oil) is ritually waved to venerate Hindu deities, deities. ''Arti'' also refers t ...
s'', ''
Bhajan
Bhajan is an Indian term for any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Dharmic religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root w ...
s'', ''Dholas'', ''Kafis'', ''
Kirtan
Sikh ''kirta''n with Indian harmoniums and '' Kenya.html" ;"title="tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya">tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya (1960s)
''Kirtana'' (; ), also rendered as ''Kiirtan'', ''Kirt ...
s'', ''Mahinas'' and ''Prabhatias'' but is most famous for his ''Chabkhas''. These satirical pieces are known as ''Bhoja Bhagat na Chabkha'' ( literally ''Lashes of Bhoja Bhagat'' ) in Gujarati. His rough language is seen in these ''Chabkha'' which tells about social equanimity. His tender and compassionate language is visible in his verses, ''pada'' describing separation of
Gopi
Gopi (, ) or Gopika in Hinduism are commonly referred to the group of milkmaids of Braj. They are regarded as the consorts and devotees of Krishna and are venerated for their unconditional love and devotion (''Bhakti'') to him as described i ...
s from
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
in ''Bhaktamala'', ''Chalaiyakhyan'' and his ''bhajan'' of ''Kachabo ane Kachabi'' (couple of turtles). His ''Saravadan'' is about union with cosmic consciousness.
Legacy
His followers visit Fatehpur today to pay their respects, where he spent major part of his life. The
ashram
An ashram (, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions, not including Buddhism.
Etymology
The Sanskrit noun is a thematic nominal derivative from the root 'toil' (< paghdi,
rosary
The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...
beads and
paduka
''Paduka'' () is an ancient form of footwear in India, consisting of a sole with a post and knob which is positioned between the big and second toe. It has been historically worn in South Asia and Southeast Asia. ''Paduka'' exist in a variety o ...
s. The original brick-house of Bhoja Bhagat stands as it is and his personal belongings are kept here and there is an
ashram
An ashram (, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions, not including Buddhism.
Etymology
The Sanskrit noun is a thematic nominal derivative from the root 'toil' (< mahant
Mahant () is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions.
James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant, describes the position of a mahant as a combination of an ...
, called ''gadi-pati'' (head of seat).
He had many disciples of whom the two most illustrious and known are saints Jalaram of Virpur and Valamram of Gariadhar.
See also
*
List of Gujarati-language writers
The following is an alphabetical list of Gujarati writers who has contributed in Gujarati literature; presenting an overview of notable authors, journalists, novelists, playwrights, poets and screenwriters who have released literary works in the Gu ...