New Religious Ideas and Movements – Detailed Summary | Samacheer Kalvi 7th Social Science | Term 3 History

New Religious Ideas and Movements – Detailed Summary

Book: Samacheer Kalvi 7th Social Science

Term: Term 3

Subject: History

Unit: Unit 1

Lesson Name: New Religious Ideas and Movements

About the Lesson

“New Religious Ideas and Movements” is an important History lesson in the Samacheer Kalvi 7th Social Science book. This lesson explains the rise of devotional movements in medieval India.

The lesson mainly focuses on the Bhakti movement, Azhwars, Nayanmars, Adi Shankara, Ramanuja, North Indian Bhakti saints, Sufism, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Sikhism, and the impact of these movements on Indian society.

Learning Objectives

To understand the meaning and importance of the Bhakti movement.
To learn about Azhwars and Nayanmars in Tamil Nadu.
To know about Tamil devotional literature such as Thirumurai and Nalayira Divya Prabandham.
To understand Adi Shankara’s Advaita philosophy.
To understand Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita philosophy.
To learn about North Indian Bhakti saints such as Ramananda, Kabir, Tulsidas, Meera Bai, Chaitanya and Tukaram.
To understand the basic ideas of Sufism.
To learn about Guru Nanak and Sikhism.
To understand the impact of the Bhakti movement on society and regional languages.

Detailed Summary of the Lesson

1. Introduction

During the medieval period, India witnessed the rise of many new religious ideas and devotional movements. These movements gave importance to personal devotion to God.

The saints of these movements believed that sincere love and devotion to God could help people attain salvation. They criticised unnecessary rituals, caste differences, and social inequality.

2. Meaning of Bhakti

Bhakti means deep love and devotion to God.

The Bhakti movement taught that God can be reached through sincere devotion, love, prayer, and good conduct. It gave more importance to devotion than to rituals.

3. Bhakti Marga

Bhakti Marga means the path of devotion.

The Bhagavad Gita proposed that Bhakti Marga is superior to other paths such as Jnana Marga and Karma Marga. This idea inspired many saints and religious reformers.

4. Beginning of the Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti movement began in Tamil Nadu around the 7th century CE.

It was led by Vaishnavite saints called Azhwars and Saivite saints called Nayanmars. They composed devotional songs in Tamil and spread religious devotion among common people.

5. Features of the Bhakti Movement

It gave importance to personal devotion to God.
It opposed empty rituals and blind customs.
It criticised caste-based inequalities.
It supported social equality.
It used the language of common people.
It encouraged regional languages and literature.
It promoted love, peace, harmony, and devotion.

6. Azhwars

Azhwars were Vaishnavite saints who worshipped Lord Vishnu.

They composed beautiful devotional songs in Tamil. Their songs expressed deep love for Vishnu and his avatars, especially Rama and Krishna.

7. Twelve Azhwars

There were twelve Azhwars. The first three Azhwars were Poigai Azhwar, Bhoothath Azhwar, and Pey Azhwar.

Other important Azhwars include Periyazhwar, Andal, Nammazhwar, Thirumangai Azhwar, Thondaradippodi Azhwar, Kulasekara Azhwar, and Madhurakavi Azhwar.

8. Nammazhwar

Nammazhwar was one of the most important Azhwars.

He is famous for his devotional work Thiruvaimozhi, which contains 1,102 verses. His songs are considered very important in Vaishnavite devotional literature.

9. Nalayira Divya Prabandham

The devotional songs of the Azhwars were later compiled as Nalayira Divya Prabandham.

Nathamuni compiled the 4000 songs of Nammazhwar and other Azhwars. Nalayira Divya Prabandham is an important sacred text of Tamil Vaishnavism.

10. Andal

Andal was the only female Azhwar.

She was found as a child in the tulasi garden of Srivilliputhur temple by Periyazhwar. She composed famous devotional works such as Thiruppavai and Nachiyar Thirumozhi.

11. Periyazhwar

Periyazhwar was earlier known as Vishnu Chittar.

He composed songs on Krishna by imagining himself in the place of mother Yashoda. This is an important textbook-back one-mark question.

12. Nayanmars

Nayanmars were Saivite saints who worshipped Lord Shiva.

According to tradition, there were 63 Nayanmars. They composed devotional songs praising Lord Shiva and helped in the growth of Saivism in Tamil Nadu.

13. Important Nayanmars

The most important Nayanmars were Thirugnanasambandar, Appar, and Sundarar.

They are often called the three great Saivite saints. Their songs are still sung in Shiva temples.

14. Thirumurai

Thirumurai is the collection of Tamil Saivite devotional songs.

The songs of Nayanmars were compiled by Nambi Andar Nambi. Thirumurai consists of 12 books. Sekkizhar’s Periyapuranam is the 12th book of Thirumurai.

15. Nambi Andar Nambi

Nambi Andar Nambi compiled the songs of the Nayanmars.

His compilation became the basis of the Saivite sacred canon called Thirumurai.

16. Periyapuranam

Periyapuranam was written by Sekkizhar.

It describes the lives and devotion of the 63 Nayanmars. It is considered the 12th book of Thirumurai.

17. Adi Shankara

Adi Shankara was a great philosopher and religious thinker.

He preached the philosophy of Advaita. His famous work was his commentary on the Brahma Sutra.

18. Advaita Philosophy

Advaita means non-dualism.

According to Advaita, the individual soul and the supreme Brahman are ultimately one. Adi Shankara taught that true knowledge helps one realise this unity.

19. Adi Shankara’s Centres of Learning

Adi Shankara established important centres of learning in different parts of India.

These centres were Badrinath, Puri, Dwarka, and Sringeri. They helped spread his philosophical ideas.

20. Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram was a popular centre for Sanskrit learning.

It became an important centre of religion, philosophy, and education in South India.

21. Ramanuja

Ramanuja was one of the most influential Vaishnavite thinkers.

He preached the philosophy of Vishishtadvaita. He settled at Srirangam after long spiritual journeys.

22. Vishishtadvaita

Vishishtadvaita means qualified non-dualism.

Ramanuja taught that the soul keeps its individual identity even after becoming one with Brahman. He also opposed caste restrictions in temple entry and spread ideas of social equality.

23. Srivaishnavism

Srivaishnavism developed through the teachings of Azhwars and Ramanuja.

It gave importance to devotion to Vishnu and the devotional songs of Azhwars.

24. Thenkalai and Vadakalai

Srivaishnavism later developed two important traditions: Thenkalai and Vadakalai.

Thenkalai Vaishnavism centred on Srirangam and gave importance to Divya Prabandham written in Tamil. Vadakalai gave importance to Vedic literature written in Sanskrit.

25. North Indian Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti movement spread from South India to North India.

In North India, many saints preached devotion in the languages of common people. Their teachings reached ordinary men and women easily.

26. Ramananda

Ramananda spread the Bhakti ideology in North India and made it a mass movement.

He preached devotion to Rama. His teachings attracted people from different castes and backgrounds.

27. Kabir

Kabir was one of the most popular Bhakti saints of North India.

He tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam. He taught that God is one and that people should not fight in the name of religion.

28. Kabir’s Teachings

God is one.
God can be reached through devotion and love.
External rituals alone are not important.
Caste differences should be rejected.
Hinduism and Islam should live in harmony.
People should follow truth, devotion, and good conduct.

29. Granthavali and Bijak

The verses of Kabir were collected in important works.

Granthavali and Bijak are collections of Kabir’s verses.

30. Tulsidas

Tulsidas was an important Bhakti saint and poet.

He wrote Ramcharitmanas, a Hindi retelling of the story of Rama. This work gave importance to devotion, friendship, loyalty, and moral values.

31. Meera Bai

Meera Bai was a famous woman Bhakti saint.

She was the wife of the crown prince of Mewar. She was a disciple of Ravidas and became popular through her bhajans devoted to Krishna.

32. Chaitanya Deva

Chaitanya Deva popularised Krishna worship in Bengal.

He used ecstatic songs and joyful dances to spread devotion to Krishna. His movement had a great impact on Vaishnavism in Bengal.

33. Tukaram

Tukaram was a 17th-century saint-poet of Maharashtra.

He composed devotional songs called Abhangas or Kirtanas in praise of Vitthoba, an avatar of Krishna. What Chaitanya was to Bengal, Tukaram was to Maharashtra.

34. Vitthoba / Panduranga

Vitthoba or Panduranga is considered an avatar of Krishna.

The famous Vitthoba temple is located at Pandharpur in the Solapur district of Maharashtra.

35. Sufism

Sufism was a mystical movement within Islam.

Sufis believed that realisation of God could be achieved through passionate devotion, love, meditation, and inner purity.

36. Meaning of Sufi

The word Sufi is believed to have come from the word “suf”, meaning wool.

Sufis were called so because they wore coarse woollen clothes and lived a simple life.

37. Sufi Ideas

God can be realised through love and devotion.
Inner purity is more important than external show.
Universal brotherhood should be followed.
Simple life and service to people are important.
Religious harmony and spiritual discipline are necessary.

38. Sufi Orders

The three important Sufi orders in medieval India were:

Chishti
Suhrawardi
Firdausi

39. Moinuddin Chishti

Moinuddin Chishti made the Chishti order popular in India.

He died at Ajmer in 1236. His dargah at Ajmer in Rajasthan is an important place of pilgrimage.

40. Nizamuddin Auliya

Nizamuddin Auliya was a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti order.

He is remembered as one of the best-known Sufi saints of the early medieval period.

41. Sikhism

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak.

Guru Nanak is considered the first Guru by the Sikhs. Sikhism gave importance to devotion, equality, honest living, and service to humanity.

42. Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak preached that God is without form.

He travelled to many places and finally settled at Kartarpur near Lahore. Gurudwara Darbar Sahib is situated at Kartarpur in Pakistan.

43. Guru Granth Sahib

Guru Granth Sahib is the holy book of the Sikhs.

After Guru Gobind Singh, Guru Granth Sahib came to be considered the Guru by the Sikhs.

44. Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Sikh Guru.

He created the Khalsa and introduced the Pahul ceremony. After him, the Guru Granth Sahib became the spiritual Guru of the Sikhs.

45. Pahul

Pahul was a Sikh initiation ceremony associated with Guru Gobind Singh.

It marked entry into the Khalsa community.

46. Five Ks of the Khalsa

Members of the Khalsa were expected to follow five symbols:

Kesh – uncut hair
Kanga – comb
Kirpan – dagger
Kara – iron bracelet
Kachera – special undergarment

47. Impact of the Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti movement had a deep impact on Indian society.

It strengthened devotional religion, encouraged regional languages, criticised caste discrimination, promoted equality, and created religious harmony.

48. Growth of Regional Languages

Bhakti saints used the language of common people.

Because of this, Tamil, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, and other regional languages grew as literary languages.

49. Social Equality

Many Bhakti saints criticised caste divisions and social inequalities.

They taught that devotion to God is open to all people, regardless of caste, gender, wealth, or status.

50. Religious Harmony

Bhakti and Sufi saints helped to promote harmony among people.

They emphasised love, peace, devotion, universal brotherhood, and the unity of God.

Central Idea of the Lesson

The central idea of the lesson is that medieval India saw the rise of new religious ideas and devotional movements. The Bhakti movement began in Tamil Nadu through Azhwars and Nayanmars and later spread to North India. Thinkers like Adi Shankara and Ramanuja gave philosophical strength to Hindu traditions. Saints like Kabir, Meera Bai, Tulsidas, Chaitanya, Tukaram, Sufi saints, and Guru Nanak promoted devotion, equality, peace, and religious harmony.

Important Saints and Their Contributions

Saint / Thinker	Contribution
Azhwars	Vaishnavite saints who composed Tamil songs in praise of Vishnu.
Nayanmars	Saivite saints who composed Tamil songs in praise of Shiva.
Nammazhwar	Famous for Thiruvaimozhi with 1,102 verses.
Andal	Only female Azhwar; composed Thiruppavai and Nachiyar Thirumozhi.
Periyazhwar	Earlier known as Vishnu Chittar; composed songs on Krishna as mother Yashoda.
Nambi Andar Nambi	Compiled the songs of Nayanmars.
Adi Shankara	Preached Advaita philosophy.
Ramanuja	Preached Vishishtadvaita philosophy.
Ramananda	Spread Bhakti ideology in North India.
Kabir	Tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam.
Tulsidas	Wrote Ramcharitmanas in Hindi.
Meera Bai	Famous woman Bhakti saint devoted to Krishna.
Chaitanya Deva	Popularised Krishna worship in Bengal.
Tukaram	Maharashtra saint-poet devoted to Vitthoba.
Guru Nanak	Founder of Sikhism and first Sikh Guru.

Azhwars and Nayanmars

Azhwars	Nayanmars
Vaishnavite saints.	Saivite saints.
Worshipped Lord Vishnu.	Worshipped Lord Shiva.
There were 12 Azhwars.	There were 63 Nayanmars.
Their songs were compiled as Nalayira Divya Prabandham.	Their songs were compiled as Thirumurai.
Andal was the only female Azhwar.	Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar were important Nayanmars.

Important Books and Texts

Book / Text	Related Person / Tradition	Importance
Nalayira Divya Prabandham	Azhwars	Collection of 4000 Vaishnavite devotional songs.
Thiruvaimozhi	Nammazhwar	Contains 1,102 verses.
Thiruppavai	Andal	Famous devotional work on Krishna.
Nachiyar Thirumozhi	Andal	Famous Tamil Vaishnavite devotional work.
Thirumurai	Nayanmars	Collection of Tamil Saivite devotional songs.
Periyapuranam	Sekkizhar	12th book of Thirumurai.
Brahma Sutra Commentary	Adi Shankara	Important work related to Advaita philosophy.
Ramcharitmanas	Tulsidas	Hindi retelling of the story of Rama.
Granthavali and Bijak	Kabir	Collections of Kabir’s verses.
Guru Granth Sahib	Sikhism	Holy book of the Sikhs.

Philosophies

Philosophy	Preacher	Meaning / Idea
Advaita	Adi Shankara	Non-dualism; individual soul and Brahman are ultimately one.
Vishishtadvaita	Ramanuja	Qualified non-dualism; the soul keeps its identity even after union with Brahman.
Vishnu Bhakti	Azhwars and Vaishnavite saints	Devotion to Vishnu and his avatars, especially Rama and Krishna.
Sufism	Sufi saints	Realisation of God through love, devotion, meditation, and inner purity.

Sufism – Important Points

Topic	Important Point
Meaning of Sufi	Derived from “suf”, meaning wool.
Nature of Sufism	Mystical movement within Islam.
Main Belief	Realisation of God through passionate devotion and meditation.
Important Orders	Chishti, Suhrawardi, Firdausi.
Chishti Order Popularised By	Moinuddin Chishti.
Famous Chishti Saint	Nizamuddin Auliya.
Ajmer Sharif Dargah	Associated with Moinuddin Chishti.

Sikhism – Important Points

Topic	Important Point
Founder of Sikhism	Guru Nanak.
First Guru of Sikhs	Guru Nanak.
Guru Nanak’s Teaching	God is without form.
Guru Nanak Settled At	Kartarpur near Lahore.
Holy Book	Guru Granth Sahib.
Khalsa Created By	Guru Gobind Singh.
Pahul	Initiation ceremony connected with Guru Gobind Singh.
After Guru Gobind Singh	Guru Granth Sahib came to be considered the Guru.

Important Places to Remember

Place	Importance
Tamil Nadu	Birthplace of the Bhakti movement around the 7th century CE.
Srivilliputhur	Associated with Andal and Periyazhwar.
Srirangam	Important Vaishnavite centre; associated with Ramanuja and Thenkalai tradition.
Kanchipuram	Popular centre for Sanskrit learning.
Badrinath, Puri, Dwarka, Sringeri	Centres of learning associated with Adi Shankara.
Ajmer	Associated with Moinuddin Chishti and Ajmer Sharif Dargah.
Kartarpur	Guru Nanak settled here; Gurudwara Darbar Sahib is situated here.
Pandharpur	Famous for Vitthoba / Panduranga temple.

Important Exam Points from the Lesson

Topic	Important Point
Bhakti Movement	Began in Tamil Nadu around 7th century CE.
Bhakti Marga	Path of devotion.
Azhwars	Vaishnavite saints.
Nayanmars	Saivite saints.
Number of Azhwars	12.
Number of Nayanmars	63.
Only Female Azhwar	Andal.
Periyazhwar Earlier Known As	Vishnu Chittar.
Periyazhwar’s Famous Theme	Composed songs on Krishna as mother Yashoda.
Nammazhwar’s Work	Thiruvaimozhi.
Thiruvaimozhi	Contains 1,102 verses.
Nalayira Divya Prabandham	Compiled by Nathamuni.
Thirumurai	12 books of Tamil Saivite sacred songs.
Thirumurai Compiled By	Nambi Andar Nambi.
Periyapuranam	Written by Sekkizhar; 12th book of Thirumurai.
Advaita	Preached by Adi Shankara.
Vishishtadvaita	Preached by Ramanuja.
Popular Sanskrit Learning Centre	Kanchipuram.
Bhakti in North India Spread By	Ramananda.
Ramcharitmanas	Written by Tulsidas.
Meera Bai	Disciple of Ravidas; popular through bhajans.
Chaitanya Deva	Popularised Krishna worship in Bengal.
Tukaram	Maharashtra saint-poet devoted to Vitthoba.
Kabir	Tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam.
Sufi Orders	Chishti, Suhrawardi, Firdausi.
Chishti Order Popularised By	Moinuddin Chishti.
First Guru of Sikhs	Guru Nanak.
Holy Book of Sikhs	Guru Granth Sahib.
Pahul	Associated with Guru Gobind Singh.

Vocabulary to Remember

Bhakti – deep devotion to God.
Bhakti Marga – path of devotion.
Salvation – release from worldly suffering.
Omnipresent – present everywhere.
Incarnation – avatar or living form of a deity.
Vaishnavism – worship of Lord Vishnu.
Saivism – worship of Lord Shiva.
Azhwars – Vaishnavite devotional saints.
Nayanmars – Saivite devotional saints.
Advaita – non-dualism preached by Adi Shankara.
Vishishtadvaita – qualified non-dualism preached by Ramanuja.
Sufism – mystical movement within Islam.
Ulema – Islamic scholars trained in religious law.
Dargah – shrine or tomb of a Sufi saint.
Kirtana – devotional song.
Bhajan – devotional song.
Khalsa – Sikh religious community created by Guru Gobind Singh.
Pahul – Sikh initiation ceremony.
Kesh – uncut hair.
Kara – iron bracelet.
Disparity – inequality or difference.
Harmony – peaceful relationship.

TET / Exam Focus Areas

Very Important Focus: These are the most expected textbook-based areas from this lesson.

What is Bhakti?
What is Bhakti Marga?
Who were Azhwars?
Who were Nayanmars?
Who was the only female Azhwar?
Who was Periyazhwar earlier known as?
What is Nalayira Divya Prabandham?
What do you know about Thirumurai?
Who preached Advaita philosophy?
Who preached Vishishtadvaita philosophy?
Who spread Bhakti ideology in North India?
Who wrote Ramcharitmanas?
Write a note on Meera Bai.
Write about Chaitanya Deva and Tukaram.
What is Sufism?
Who made the Chishti order popular in India?
Who was Nizamuddin Auliya?
Write the teachings of Kabir.
Who was Guru Nanak?
What is Guru Granth Sahib?
Write about the impact of the Bhakti movement.

Short Answer Questions and Answers

1. What is Bhakti?

Bhakti means deep love and devotion to God.

2. What is Bhakti Marga?

Bhakti Marga means the path of devotion. It teaches that God can be reached through sincere love and devotion.

3. Where did the Bhakti movement begin?

The Bhakti movement began in Tamil Nadu around the 7th century CE.

4. Who were Azhwars?

Azhwars were Vaishnavite saints who worshipped Lord Vishnu and composed devotional songs in Tamil.

5. Who were Nayanmars?

Nayanmars were Saivite saints who worshipped Lord Shiva and composed devotional songs in Tamil.

6. Who was the only female Azhwar?

Andal was the only female Azhwar.

7. Who was Periyazhwar earlier known as?

Periyazhwar was earlier known as Vishnu Chittar.

8. Who composed songs on Krishna by placing himself in the position of mother Yashoda?

Periyazhwar composed songs on Krishna by placing himself in the position of mother Yashoda.

9. What are the famous works of Andal?

Thiruppavai and Nachiyar Thirumozhi are the famous works of Andal.

10. What is Thirumurai?

Thirumurai is the collection of Tamil Saivite devotional songs. It consists of 12 books.

11. Who compiled the songs of the Nayanmars?

Nambi Andar Nambi compiled the songs of the Nayanmars.

12. Who wrote Periyapuranam?

Sekkizhar wrote Periyapuranam. It is the 12th book of Thirumurai.

13. Who preached Advaita philosophy?

Adi Shankara preached Advaita philosophy.

14. Who preached Vishishtadvaita philosophy?

Ramanuja preached Vishishtadvaita philosophy.

15. Who spread Bhakti ideology in North India?

Ramananda spread Bhakti ideology in North India and made it a mass movement.

16. Who wrote Ramcharitmanas?

Tulsidas wrote Ramcharitmanas in Hindi.

17. Who was Meera Bai?

Meera Bai was a famous woman Bhakti saint. She was a disciple of Ravidas and became popular through her bhajans devoted to Krishna.

18. What did Chaitanya Deva popularise?

Chaitanya Deva popularised Krishna worship in Bengal through songs and dances.

19. Who was Tukaram?

Tukaram was a 17th-century saint-poet of Maharashtra. He composed devotional songs in praise of Vitthoba.

20. What is Sufism?

Sufism is a mystical movement within Islam. Sufis believed that God could be realised through devotion, love, meditation, and inner purity.

21. Who made the Chishti order popular in India?

Moinuddin Chishti made the Chishti order popular in India.

22. Who was Guru Nanak?

Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and the first Guru of the Sikhs.

23. What is Guru Granth Sahib?

Guru Granth Sahib is the holy book of the Sikhs.

24. What did Guru Nanak preach?

Guru Nanak preached that God is without form and that people should live with devotion, equality, and service.

25. What was the impact of the Bhakti movement?

The Bhakti movement encouraged devotion, religious harmony, regional languages, social equality, and criticism of caste-based inequalities.

How to Write This in Exam

For a short answer, write the direct point first. For example, if the question asks “Who preached Advaita philosophy?”, write “Adi Shankara preached Advaita philosophy.”

For a long answer, divide the answer into headings such as Bhakti movement, Azhwars, Nayanmars, Adi Shankara, Ramanuja, North Indian Bhakti saints, Sufism, Sikhism, and impact of the Bhakti movement.

Sample Exam Answer

“New Religious Ideas and Movements” is an important History lesson in 7th Social Science. The Bhakti movement gave importance to deep love and devotion to God. It taught that God can be reached through sincere devotion instead of costly rituals. The Bhakti movement began in Tamil Nadu around the 7th century CE through Azhwars and Nayanmars.

Azhwars were Vaishnavite saints who worshipped Lord Vishnu. There were 12 Azhwars. Andal was the only female Azhwar. Periyazhwar was earlier known as Vishnu Chittar and composed songs on Krishna by placing himself in the position of mother Yashoda. Nammazhwar was famous for Thiruvaimozhi, and the songs of Azhwars were compiled as Nalayira Divya Prabandham.

Nayanmars were Saivite saints who worshipped Lord Shiva. There were 63 Nayanmars. The important Nayanmars were Appar, Sundarar, and Thirugnanasambandar. Their songs were compiled by Nambi Andar Nambi as Thirumurai. Thirumurai consists of 12 books, and Sekkizhar’s Periyapuranam is the 12th book.

Adi Shankara preached Advaita philosophy, which means non-dualism. Ramanuja preached Vishishtadvaita philosophy and supported ideas of social equality. In North India, Ramananda spread the Bhakti ideology and made it a mass movement. Kabir tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam. Tulsidas wrote Ramcharitmanas. Meera Bai became popular through her bhajans. Chaitanya Deva popularised Krishna worship in Bengal, and Tukaram was a famous saint-poet of Maharashtra.

Sufism was a mystical movement within Islam. Sufis believed in love, devotion, meditation, inner purity, and universal brotherhood. Moinuddin Chishti made the Chishti order popular in India. Guru Nanak founded Sikhism and preached that God is without form. Guru Granth Sahib is the holy book of the Sikhs. The Bhakti movement encouraged religious harmony, regional languages, devotion, and social equality.

One Mark Important Points

Bhakti – Deep devotion to God
Bhakti Marga – Path of devotion
Bhakti Movement Began In – Tamil Nadu
Bhakti Movement Began Around – 7th century CE
Azhwars – Vaishnavite saints
Nayanmars – Saivite saints
Number of Azhwars – 12
Number of Nayanmars – 63
Only Female Azhwar – Andal
Periyazhwar Earlier Known As – Vishnu Chittar
Periyazhwar Composed Songs On – Krishna as mother Yashoda
Nammazhwar’s Work – Thiruvaimozhi
Thiruvaimozhi Contains – 1,102 verses
Nalayira Divya Prabandham Compiled By – Nathamuni
Thiruppavai Written By – Andal
Nachiyar Thirumozhi Written By – Andal
Thirumurai – 12 books of Saivite devotional songs
Thirumurai Compiled By – Nambi Andar Nambi
Periyapuranam Written By – Sekkizhar
Periyapuranam – 12th book of Thirumurai
Advaita Preached By – Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara’s Masterpiece – Commentary on Brahma Sutra
Vishishtadvaita Preached By – Ramanuja
Popular Sanskrit Learning Centre – Kanchipuram
Bhakti in North India Spread By – Ramananda
Ramcharitmanas Written By – Tulsidas
Meera Bai’s Guru – Ravidas
Meera Bai Popular Through – Bhajans
Chaitanya Deva Popularised – Krishna worship
Tukaram – Saint-poet of Maharashtra
Kabir Tried To Reconcile – Hinduism and Islam
Kabir’s Verse Collections – Granthavali and Bijak
Sufi Orders – Chishti, Suhrawardi, Firdausi
Chishti Order Popularised By – Moinuddin Chishti
Famous Chishti Saint – Nizamuddin Auliya
Founder of Sikhism – Guru Nanak
First Guru of Sikhs – Guru Nanak
Holy Book of Sikhs – Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Nanak Settled At – Kartarpur
Pahul Associated With – Guru Gobind Singh

Short Conclusion

“New Religious Ideas and Movements” teaches us about the rise of devotional movements in medieval India. The Bhakti movement began in Tamil Nadu through Azhwars and Nayanmars. Adi Shankara preached Advaita, and Ramanuja preached Vishishtadvaita. Ramananda, Kabir, Tulsidas, Meera Bai, Chaitanya Deva, and Tukaram spread Bhakti ideas in North India and other regions. Sufism promoted love, devotion, meditation, and universal brotherhood. Guru Nanak founded Sikhism and taught that God is without form. This lesson is important for exams because many direct questions can be asked from Azhwars, Nayanmars, Andal, Periyazhwar, Thirumurai, Adi Shankara, Ramanuja, Ramananda, Kabir, Sufism, Guru Nanak, and Guru Granth Sahib.