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few women also. They often criticised the Buddhists and Jainas. They composed poems in

Sangam literature (Tamil Literature) and set them to music. They went from place to place
to spread the movement. During the 10th and 12th centuries, the Chola and Pandya kings
built many temples and promoted the Bhakti Movement. During this period. Hagiographies
or religious biographies of the Nayanars and Alwars were also composed. These are now used
as sources of History to know about the Bhakti Movement of South India.

shankaRaChaRya

Shankaracharya, an eighth-century saint of South Indian, preached the
advaita philosophy, that is, understanding and uniting with the universal soul
called Brahma through the attainment of knowledge. Shankaracharya set
up mathas (centres of learning and worship) at Badrinath, Puri, Dwarka and
Shringeri. These mathas grew into important pilgrimage centres.
Shankaracharya
Ramanuja

Ramanuja was born in Tamil Nadu in the eleventh century. He was deeply
influenced by the Alwars. He was an advocate of the doctrine of Vishista-
davita (qualified non-dualism). He believed that the best means of attaining
salvation was through intense devotion to Vishnu. According to Ramanuja’s

Ramanuja teachings, Lord Narayana or Bhagavah is the Supreme Being.

basavanna

Basavanna initiated the Virashaiva Movement or Virashaivism. This movement
began in Karnataka in mid-twelfth century. This movement advocated for
the quality of all human beings. The Virashaivas strongly criticised the
Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women. They were also
against all forms of ritual and idol worship. Allama Prabhu and Akkamahadevi
were other important religious leaders of Virashaivish. Ramanuja

sainTs Of maharashTra
The Vaishnava saints of Maharashtra, called Varakaris, were worshipper of Lord Vitthala
(Vishnu) of Pandharpur. Jananeshwar, Namadeva, Tukaram and Ekanath were among the
saints who popularised Vitthala worship. They were family men, and did not give up worldly
life. They rejected rituals and composed devotional poems called abhangs in Marathi
language. Jananeshwar wrote Jananeshwari, a Marathi commentary on the Bhagavadgita.

Namadev Tukaram Ekanath Jananeshwar
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