LOVE,DEVOTION AND ENDURANCE: LIVES WHICH DERIVED THEIR LIFEBLOOD FROM KABIR

“To Thee thou hast drawn my Love, O Fakir!

I was sleeping in my own chamber, and Thou didst awaken me;

Kabir says, “Thou hast united Thy heart to my heart, O Fakir!”” (Tagore page 14 lines 1-3)

                    Indians have known Kabir since infancy yet not every Indian cognizes the glorious splendour of this virtuoso. Over the centuries Kabir has been lauded as an exceptional poet-weaver adept in every enterprise, a Hindu-Islam saint -equally revered by the duo and an iconoclast revolutionary who was courageous enough to question the follies of his own creed. But a close scrutiny of his quintessence reveals him to be a seeker of Love. It was love which formed the kernel of Kabir's poetry. None could better portray Kabir than the  ‘Kabiguru’ Rabindranath Tagore ,who in the introduction to his The Songs of Kabir, expounds Kabir's verses as the “Spontaneous expressions of his vision and his love” (Tagore 3) which makes “ immortal appeal to the heart.”(Tagore 3)This Muslim poet ,taught by a Hindu guru- Ramananda , became an autonomous presence who sought the universal cosmos without the help of institutionalized religion.

“हिन्दु कहूं तो हूं नहीं

मुसलमान भी नाहीं

गैबी दोनों दीन मे

खेलूं दोनों माहीं।”: 

   Prahlad Tipanya

Love and Faith were the two agencies with which Kabir waded through the impenetrable sea of conventional shibboleth. In the above quoted Kabir Bhajan “कहां से आया कहां जाओगे?” Prahlad Tipanya beautifully describes Kabir’s syncretism. (Tipanya lines 9-12)

               Kabir’s glorious heritage is what makes him stand out against most of his Bhakthi counterparts. Kabir’s magnificent legacy lives on through scores of folk musicians across Kutch, Rajasthan, Pakisthan, Malwa ,Sindh etc. Kabir even radiated his glory towards America as well! From Kabir Panth through Kabir Kala Manch till The Kabir Project and From Anantha Das through Prahlad Tipanya till Shabnam Virmani, we have a continuum of Kabir's lovers down the ages. Kabir Panth was one of the first philosophical pathways which sprang up in the name of this Bhakthi saint, propagating his religious tolerance. The followers of Kabir Panth deem Kabir to be their Guru-a guiding light who would lead them towards Moksha. The primary doctrines of Kabir Panthis include love, compassion, humility, purity and unity.

"Kabir stands in the marketplace/...whosoever will set fire to his house,

Come,join me."(Nagarkar Page 293 lines 1-4)

                   Dr.Linda Hess, a prominent Kabir scholar and a notable modern biographer of Kabir, introduces herself as “ a translator and devotee and lover of the poet Kabir.” ('Linda Hess' 0:58-1:01). The relation she has with Kabir is personal and emotional rather than academic. Dr.Hess, in an interview given to “The Kabir Project” reflects that Music is a bodily as well as an out of mind experience. The verses stimulate every cell in our body, arousing a profound introspection. It also takes us to a higher elevation where we experience an ethereal solace which surpasses human comprehension. This is where the sublime character of Bhajans and Folk songs become conspicuous. Is Kabir so esoteric that we need the guidance of a Professor at Stanford to glean his philosophy? Vivek Das, the head of the Kabir Chaura Mathh(one of the prominent Kabir Panths) in Varanasi holds that Kabir was very lucid in his explanation. The sant never put forth any vedic edification. All of his teachings were based on the lives of laymen.

        Dr.Linda Hess

                 Unlike Kabir Panth, Kabir Kala Manch is an artistic organization which anticipates a casteless society. It emerged in 2002, following the Gujarat Riots. The activists of this organization fight against all sorts of inequalities, exploitations and atrocities. Most of the members of this organization are Dalit activists. How does Kabir relate to Dalits? In an interview given to The Hindu, Shabnam Virmani gives us the reason why "Kabir appeals immensely to Dalits"( Santhanam lines 42-43) because he ardently worked to break the social order and the societal barriers. Hailing from a Weavers' Community he never called himself a Guru or an Avatar rather he accepted and proclaimed his position as a 'Julaaha'. He opposed caste system and advocated a casteless egalitarian society. His emphasis was on ideal conduct rather than on ideal birth.

            The distaste a brahmin has for Kabir is owing to the latter's inextricable relationship with a sect whom the former tried to persecute relentlessly. Kabir proclaimed his lower caste identity with utmost pride and undauntedly strove for the upliftment of Dalits. Love for his fellow humans made a warrior out of this saint. Music, in the agile hands of this valiant warrior became a potent weapon to question the caste hierarchy and this legacy is continued till date by the activists of Kabir Kala Manch. They wielded the same weapon used by Kabir and proved their worth amidst vehement  opposition. One of the members of Kabir Kala Manch, Sheethal Sathe , in an influential song, became vocal about Motherly Love. In an interview, Sheethal's mother expressed (with a tint of resentment ) that Sheethal works not for her family but for the world. Yes! She lives not for her mother alone , but for her mother land. This is True Love! The readiness to disown oneself to carry a communal identity and to renounce one's happiness for the well being of an entire nation.

"It is needless to ask of a saint the caste to which he belongs;

For the priest, the warrior, the tradesman; and all the thirty-six castes, alike are seeking for God

Hindus and Moslems alike have achieved the end, where remains no mark of distinction."-Kabir ("Kabir Poems" Page 30 lines 1-3)

    Shabnam Virmani

                   The road leading to the beloved can be misty and the resolved seeker has to wade through the pernicious smog of cultural, social or even temporal barriers to have a glimpse of the enshrined lover. If the love sick devotee could make it through the impregnable uncertainty , the deity would divulge himself...the way Kabir revealed himself to Shabnam Virmani! Shabnam with her unabatable curiosity and unquenchable zeal ventured in search of Kabir. Her desire to find Kabir translated itself into myriads of movies, documentaries, books, songs and talks. Each odyssey ends not with an answer but with a question. Yet with Kabir by her side she lacks nothing and the alchemy of Love eases and soothes her. Shabnam, who was no stranger to bereavement derived her strength from her vulnerability. This resilient attitude drew her closer to the lowly ones viz., men of toil, tribals, dalits, folk singers ., so on goes the list of the subaltern. Shabnam, like her beloved Kabir set out to ease the pain of the servile beings who were being crushed under the feet of the religious elite. In her talk entitled "The Call of a Song: My Journeys with Kabir", Shabnam postulates a commonsensical statement implying that every individual longs for a belonging. This accomplishment of loving and being loved is what makes  life worthy. Everyone craves for a bosom to rest one's head upon, a palm to pat one's shoulder...

“Hang the body and the mind between the arms of the beloved, in the ecstasy of love's joy:

Bring your face nearer to his ear ,and speak of the deepest longings of your heart.”-Kabir(“Kabir Poems” page 12 lines 1-4)

                   As Aniket Jaaware contends in his Practicing Caste-On Touching and Not Touching Touch signifies intimacy, the intensity of which depends on the relationship one shares with the loved one. Touch, in its elementary sense, is materialistic...it is a sensory experience. Yet many are denied this 'privilege'. In her popular film "Had Anhad" Shabnam gives us an insight into the constructed concepts of religion, purity, faith, ego etc. Elsewhere in the film she documents the guileless words of a Kabir Panthi belonging to an untouchable community. He vindicates his belief in an abstract god by claiming that his community was denied the right to touch their idols! Should  an 'untouchable' touch a deity and 'profane' the sanctity? The religious elite have always feigned oblivion  to the fact that The Almighty,  whose love surpasses all the material barriers, is beyond Caste!

  Shah Latif

                    So much about touch! Kabir, Shah Latif, Shabnam Virmani and every other visionary posits that Love presupposes pangs of separation. As Shah Latif says "Love is another name for martyrdom." (Bulchand 56) For him, Love is an insatiable thirst for the beloved. This thirst, in most cases, is never reciprocated. Unrequited love can burn like embers and bruise the tender heart. Yet the throes of parting bring with it a serpentine charm...ecstatic and agonizing at the same time...!

“May I ever seek Thee but never find Thee!

Come back O Separation! Union becomes a veil between me and the beloved;”-Shah Abdul Latif (Bulchand Page 56 )

When the discussion of Virah sprouts, one is reminded of the eternal virahini- Mirabai whose songs tinged with agony, craving, love and devotion resonate in every corner of India.

“I send letters to my Beloved

The Dear Krishna

But He sends no message of reply,

Purposely preserving silence.”-Mirabai (“ Poems of Mirabai” lines 1-4)

                   Shabnam bestows the same love upon Kabir. She asks everyone to venerate valediction. According to her, Pain eventually leads one to the beloved. What better philosophy can there be other than rejoicing in the pain inflicted by the lover! Yet why would a woman brought up by the gales of feminism surrender to a man defenselessly? When a woman finds a man who surpasses her in essence, she willingly submits herself to him. She forgoes her identity to get a share of his. She sacrifices her desires and aspirations for his gratification! Mira Bai was one of the first women who sacrificed her soul and body at the sacred altar of Love!

                 Shabnam in her latest film “Don't fall in love with those who wander in boats”, portrayed parting in all its variant colours- Parting of lovers, friends ,relatives or even acquaintances. Pitted against the backdrop of Partition, the second half of the documentary takes us through a few annals which are never written in the history. Yet the prime focus, as the title suggests, is on the parting lovers. The saga is of Vanjaaras(sea traders) and their dearest Vanjaarian(wives). These voyagers who were obliged to go abroad had to endure tumultuous waters bereft of any safety measures to save themselves from the turbulent sea. The wives of these sea goers would wail and pine for their men who never return! The geographical fissures made on Mother India failed to part the relations which were formed on the either side of Radcliff Line. The brethren would wait for their compatriots return yet they seldom make it through. Shabnam, in a poignant bhajan sings-

              पीयूजी बिना म्हारी प्राण पडे म्हारी हेली

                         जल बिन मछली मरे ("Piyu ji Bina"  lines 1-2)

                 There is a sect of people for whom Ram is a seamless abstract entity, as Kiran Nagarkar has it in The Arsonist, "...Ram had no affiliations with one particular faith. When  he called upon Ram, it was the Almighty minus religion." (Nagarkar 48). According to Linda Hess, “Kabir’s poetry is full of exhortations to recite the name of Ram, to devote oneself to Ram, to drop everything except Ram.”(Hess,Linda 20-21) And this “Ram”, for Kabir,  was a transcendental signified...an incarnation of Love...absolute and eternal! The only channel that leads to the Almighty is Love! The more you impart, the more you receive and the more you stay closer to your brethren, the more you get merged into your beloved! This takes us to a question posed by Shabnam ,"Why is there so much hatred?" Let's restructure it-If God is love , why is there rampant pogrom in the name of God? Shabnam's peregrination to various regions in India resulted in her filming of the people living there. Thus we could get a glimpse into the age-old hatred nurtured by Hindus and Muslims against each other. They water this hatred day in and day out by watching the footages of the demolition  of holy shrines with utmost religious and patriotic fervour. Can true love for one's God transmute into the hatred for someone else's religion? Ironic! Isn't it? Shabnam in one of her Kabir bhajans titled “सकल हंस में राम बिराजे”, sings of the ubiquitary potential of God in every being and the song also expresses that every entity in the world is a manifestation of the Supreme Being. The following is a quatrain from the aforementioned poetic composition

     “भंवरा बिलमा बाग में

       बहु फूलन की आस

       हंस चला घर आपणे

       तज बाडी की आस।” (Virmani  lines 1-4)

              Ajab Mulakaatein  is The Kabir Project’s expedition to unearth the various folk traditions abiding in and around India. This enterprise is also aimed at making acquaintances with various folk musicians and also to learn about myriads of oral traditions persisting through out the Sub-continent. In this film series , we come across a Pakisthani Sufi Rock Band named “The Sketches” . The creator and the chief melodist of this band shares his insights on love and separation with the organizers of Ajab Shahar-The Kabir Project. Love for their nation, language and cultural heritage provided impetus for “The Sketches” to come up with this band. Therefore, the motif of Love is very conspicuous in their songs. 

             The presence of Kabir, to the ones in communion with him, generates a divine aura which inspires the devotees to compose melodious offerings for him,  imbued with love and devotion. These incense burning around Kabir's altar make him incarnate himself into diverse bhajans, talks and folk songs. These expressions of love, from his followers, deserve and demand reciprocation. Bhakthi is all about the inner spiritual association shared by the God and his devotee. Every Kabir panthi merges into Kabir before attaining the divine revelation which animates each of his verses. This esoteric alchemy distinguishes Kabir Bhajans from other devotional songs. This unifying nature of Bhajans make the devotees lose themselves in the symphony and swing and sway with the melody. By revealing himself in these songs, Kabir is answering their supplication and acknowledging their whole-souled devotion.

Kabir, as has already been mentioned, was a seeker of Love...a quester of an everlasting affection which can endure every threat and stand every setback. All of Kabir’s followers or rather lovers, identify themselves with him and search for him within themselves. This appropriation of Kabir makes them imbibe and radiate his very essence which, indubitably, is Love! The relationship Kabir Panthis share with their idol transcends all political, cultural, linguistic and social barriers. What better love can we discern in this world? 

KABIR-A LIFETIME OF WHOLE-SOULED DEVOTION

 REFERENCES:

Agarwal,Purushottam. “My Personal and Political Kabir.” ajab-shahar-kabir project,19 Dec.2014, youtu.be/bWyTFl6s62s

Bot,GreenC. "Kabir Kala Manch."Wikipedia,en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabir_Kala_Manch

Bulchand Avani, Kalyan. Makers of Indian Literature - Shah Latif. Sahitya Akademi,1970

Das,Vivek. “ ‘Ordinary folk have no trouble understanding Kabir’says Vivek Das.” ajab shahar-kabir project,14 Apr.2020youtu.be/_wZOLVSzbEM

“Don't fall in love with those who wander in Boats.” ajab shahar-kabir project,3 Oct.2021youtu.be/P3iiMXKWMXU

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“Had Anhad:Journeys with Ram and Kabir.” ajab-shahar-kabir project,7 Nov.2015youtu.be/Dr83axn1IbM

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"Mumbai Local with Shabnam Virmani." Junoon-A Stage for Theatre,17 Jun.2020youtu.be/7JNQOAvlij0

'"Music takes the poem out of the mind,"says Linda Hess.'ajab shahar-kabir project,1 May.2015youtu.be/UycDQ5HCJ4g

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Tipanya,Prahlad.'Kabir Khada Bazaar Mein:Journeys with Sacred and Secular Kabir.' ajab shahar-kabir project,14 Nov.2015youtu.be/s9hMVeTaUw8

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PAPER PRESENTED AT: SINGULARITIES INTERNATIONAL ONLINE CONFERENCE (SICON LOVE '22)

PRESENTED BY: CATHARIN SANTHWANA THOMAS

II MA ENGLISH

GOVERNMENT BRENNEN COLLEGE