Home › Free notes › Class 12 History › Bhakti–Sufi Traditions

Bhakti–Sufi Traditions – Class 12 History notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 12 History, chapter 6. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Between the eighth and eighteenth centuries, new devotional movements transformed religious life in the subcontinent. Bhakti saints such as the Alvars and Nayanars in Tamil Nadu, the Virashaivas in Karnataka, and later Kabir, Guru Nanak and Mirabai emphasised personal devotion to God and often criticised caste and ritual. Sufism, the mystical tradition within Islam, spread through silsilas such as the Chishti order, with khanqahs and dargahs becoming centres of devotion for people of all backgrounds.

Early bhakti traditions

The Alvars (devotees of Vishnu) and Nayanars (devotees of Shiva) in Tamil Nadu from the sixth century composed hymns in Tamil; the Nalayira Divyaprabandham is a collection of Alvar compositions.
These saints came from different castes, including women such as Andal and Karaikkal Ammaiyar, and some challenged caste hierarchy.
In Karnataka, the Virashaiva or Lingayat movement led by Basavanna in the twelfth century rejected caste, rituals and the idea of pollution.

Sufism

Sufis emphasised love and devotion to God and criticised the materialism of the clergy; they followed a pir (master) and murids (disciples) in a silsila.
The Chishti silsila was the most influential in India; Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti's dargah at Ajmer and Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya's at Delhi attracted visitors of all faiths.
Sufi practices included ziyarat (pilgrimage to tombs), sama (music), and the use of local languages; the urs marked the death anniversary of a saint.

Later saints

Kabir, a fifteenth-century poet, described God as formless and criticised both Hindu and Muslim orthodoxy; his verses are in the Bijak, the Kabir Granthavali and the Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Nanak (1469–1539) preached devotion to one formless God, rejected caste and ritual, and founded the Sikh tradition; the Adi Granth was compiled by Guru Arjan.
Mirabai, a Rajput princess devoted to Krishna, defied social norms; her songs remain popular.

Key terms

Bhakti: personal devotion to God
Alvars: Tamil saints devoted to Vishnu
Nayanars: Tamil saints devoted to Shiva
Silsila: a chain linking Sufi masters and disciples
Dargah: the shrine of a Sufi saint

Important questions with answers

What was the Chishti silsila?2 marks

The Chishti silsila was the most influential Sufi order in India, founded in India by Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti at Ajmer; its saints, including Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi, emphasised love, simplicity, music (sama) and service to all people regardless of religion.

What were the main teachings of Kabir?3 marks

Kabir taught that God is formless and one, called by many names; he criticised idol worship, rituals, pilgrimages and caste, and rejected the orthodoxy of both Hindus and Muslims. He emphasised devotion, inner purity and the guidance of a true guru, and expressed his ideas in simple verses.

Describe the main features of the Bhakti and Sufi traditions.5 marks

Between the eighth and eighteenth centuries, devotional traditions changed religious life in the subcontinent. In Tamil Nadu, the Alvars, devotees of Vishnu, and the Nayanars, devotees of Shiva, travelled from place to place singing hymns in Tamil, and came from various castes, including women such as Andal and Karaikkal Ammaiyar; they emphasised loving devotion and some challenged caste. In Karnataka, Basavanna's Virashaiva movement rejected caste, rituals and the idea of pollution. Later, saints in northern and western India, such as Kabir, Guru Nanak, Mirabai, Tukaram and others, spread bhakti in regional languages; Kabir and Guru Nanak taught devotion to a formless God and criticised caste and ritual, and Mirabai defied social conventions in her devotion to Krishna. Sufism, the mystical tradition within Islam, emphasised love of God and criticised legalistic religion. Sufis were organised in silsilas, with a pir guiding murids, and lived in khanqahs; the Chishti order, with saints such as Muinuddin Chishti at Ajmer and Nizamuddin Auliya at Delhi, was particularly popular. Sufi practices included sama, ziyarat to dargahs and celebration of urs. Both traditions used local languages, attracted people across social groups and religions, and created shared spaces of devotion.

Quick revision

Alvars and Nayanars; Tamil hymns.
Virashaivas: Basavanna; rejection of caste.
Sufism: pir, murid, silsila, Chishtis, dargahs.
Kabir, Guru Nanak, Mirabai.

Exam tips

Make a table: saint or order, region, deity or idea, main teaching.
Remember Chishti centres: Ajmer and Delhi.

Practice MCQs

The Alvars were devotees of
1. Shiva
2. the Buddha
3. Vishnu
4. Mahavira
Show answer
Answer: (c) Vishnu. They composed Tamil hymns.
The shrine of a Sufi saint is called a
1. khanqah
2. gurdwara
3. dargah
4. matha
Show answer
Answer: (c) dargah. People visit it for blessings.
Guru Nanak was born in
1. 1398
2. 1469
3. 1526
4. 1606
Show answer
Answer: (b) 1469. He founded the Sikh tradition.
The Virashaiva movement was led by
1. Ramanuja
2. Shankaracharya
3. Basavanna
4. Chaitanya
Show answer
Answer: (c) Basavanna. It arose in Karnataka.
The dargah of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti is at
1. Delhi
2. Fatehpur Sikri
3. Ajmer
4. Lahore
Show answer
Answer: (c) Ajmer. It attracts pilgrims of all faiths.
A chain of Sufi masters and disciples is called a
1. sama
2. urs
3. silsila
4. ziyarat
Show answer
Answer: (c) silsila. It traces spiritual descent.
Which feature was common to many bhakti saints
1. emphasis on personal devotion and criticism of ritual and caste
2. strict support for caste
3. rejection of all songs
4. use of Sanskrit alone
Show answer
Answer: (a) emphasis on personal devotion and criticism of ritual and caste. They used local languages too.
Kabir described God as
1. a particular idol
2. a king
3. formless and beyond religious divisions
4. absent from the world
Show answer
Answer: (c) formless and beyond religious divisions. He used terms from both traditions.

All chapters of Class 12 History

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.