Bhakti movement
<p >The <b>Bhakti movement</b> refers to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theism" title="Theism" >theistic</a> devotional trend that emerged in medieval <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism" title="Hinduism" >Hinduism</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19871_1-0" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19871-1" >[1]</a></sup> It originated in the seventh-century<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidian_peoples" title="Dravidian peoples" >Tamil</a> south India (now parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala), and spread northwards.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19871_1-1" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19871-1" >[1]</a></sup> It swept over east and north India from the fifteenth-century onwards, reaching its zenith between the 15th and 17th century CE.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19871-2_2-0" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19871-2-2" >[2]</a></sup>
The Bhakti movement regionally developed around different gods and goddesses, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishnavism" title="Vaishnavism" >Vaishnavism</a> (Vishnu), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaivism" title="Shaivism" >Shaivism</a> (Shiva),<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaktism" title="Shaktism" >Shaktism</a> (Shakti goddesses), and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartism" title="Smartism" class="mw-redirect" >Smartism</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-3" >[3]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-4" >[4]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-5" >[5]</a></sup> The movement was inspired by many poet-saints, who championed a wide range of philosophical positions ranging from theistic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dualism" title="Dualism" >dualism</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvaita" title="Dvaita" >Dvaita</a> to absolute <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism" title="Monism" >monism</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta" title="Advaita Vedanta" >Advaita Vedanta</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19872_6-0" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19872-6" >[6]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-novetzke_7-0" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-novetzke-7" >[7]</a></sup>
The movement has traditionally been considered as an influential social reformation in Hinduism, and provided an individual-focussed alternative path to spirituality regardless of one's caste of birth or gender.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19871-2_2-1" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-FOOTNOTESchomerMcLeod19871-2-2" >[2]</a></sup> Postmodern scholars question this traditional view and whether Bhakti movement ever was a reform or rebellion of any kind.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-8" >[8]</a></sup> They suggest Bhakti movement was a revival, reworking and recontextualization of ancient Vedic traditions.<sup id="cite_ref-karen15_9-0" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-karen15-9" >[9]</a></sup>
Scriptures of the Bhakti movement include the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita" title="Bhagavad Gita" >Bhagavad Gita</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavata_Purana" title="Bhagavata Purana" >Bhagavata Purana</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padma_Purana" title="Padma Purana" >Padma Purana</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-10" >[10]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-karen26_11-0" class="reference" ><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement#cite_note-karen26-11" >[11]</a></sup>
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