It is not important which caste you are born into, but what qualities you possess is important.
Sant Tukaram, who gave such an idea to the society, was born in the year 1598. He spent most
of his life in Dehu, a small town near Pune in Maharashtra. Many scholars consider him to
belong to the Kunbi Maratha or Wani community or caste associated with tillage in
agriculture. However, caste or community has never become the identity of Sant Tukaram. His
real name was Tukaram Bolhoba Ambile, but he is called Sant Tukaram in Maharashtra and
all over the country. He is also known as Bhakta Tukaram in South India.
The opinions of scholars about his birth year vary. However, there is all unanimity about his
death, which took place in 1650 C.E. Rakhumabai, the first wife of Saint Tukaram, died early.
Saint Tukaram and his second wife, Jijabai (also known as Awali), had three sons, Santu or
Mahadev, Vithoba and Narayan.
Sant Tukaram is the most prominent saint of the Bhakti movement. During his time, the Bhakti
movement had spread all over India. The saints of that time had identified the caste-based
discriminations or the ‘caste system’ as a major hurdle for the society to be cohesive and
prosperous, and were fighting against it. They tried to unite the society with Bhakti and end
the caste-based discriminations. The handful of the so-called upper castes would have all the
privileges and a section of the society was oppressed as the untouchables.
Sant Tukaram was also the leading saint of this movement. He had a tremendous ideological
harmony with Hinduism, and he wrote many songs in the glory of Lord Vitthal, who is
considered to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Many times, Sant Tukaram Ji has mentioned
that he was born in the Shudra caste.
Tukoba says, “I belong to the Shudra caste and I have done the business of baniya
(shopkeeper’s). But already Pandurang was the only deity revered in our clan. * 1
Tukoba says, Oh, My God! I was born in the Shudra-dynasty- it was very good, otherwise if I
had been born in the upper caste, I would have been strutted in the pride of the highness. It
was good that I survived that pride. *2
Sant Tukaram used to meditate and worship God in his daily routine. The Brahmins of their
village Dehu were extremely angry with the worship of the Lord by a non-Brahmin. They
challenged the interpretation of Vedas and Puranas made by Sant Tukaram and tried to
destroy the abhangs, songs composed by him. According to Sant Tukaram, there is no mention
of the caste system in the Vedas. This opinion of him became very popular. They also sang it
as abhang.
It is the religion of Vaishnavism to believe that the whole world is Vishnumay, that it is hideous
to discriminate in it. O followers of Bhagwata, do whatever is beneficial and trustworthy. The
essence of worship of the Almighty is that we should not be jealous of any soul. *3
Sant Tukaram’s abhangs included humanity, equality, and a sense of God’s glory, which were
written in his name. Dilip Purushottam Chitre, a well-known Marathi scholar, introduces Sant
Tukaram as the first modern poet of Marathi. Saint Tukaram was a supporter of Vitthal or
Vithoba, the form of Lord Vishnu. Sant Tukaram challenged the evil social practices prevalent
in those days, and the aspect of condemning human discrimination in his abhangs was of the
utmost importance and declared that birth, Cast, wealth, The hatred of humans due to wealth
and religion could not lead anyone to the attainment of God. He faced hostility, jealousy,
hatred, and discrimination from scholars and others due to aspects of birth, caste and wealth.
Through his poetry, he conveyed his ideas from the Kirtan tradition to the Marathi people of
that time. Since then, his abhangs have become part of Marathi’s cultural life. The source of
his thoughts through abhangs is timeless.
Ankita khane
ankita.khane@ssfoffice.in
Reference – 1 & 2 Samaj Jivanatil Tukaram- Dr. Tanaji Rau Patil
3 – Tukaram Gatha
