Kabir: Relevance from Past to Present

The 15th century India is an age of political turmoil and increasing antagonism among different faiths all over the Indian subcontinent. During that era of orthodoxy and unrest, a man denied all rituals and superstitions of religions and emphasized to cherish the God within ourselves- the one Supreme Lord. We know him as ‘Kabir’, a man who is venerable to the Hindus and the Muslims alike. Despite his worldwide fame, his real identity is quite contentious. Kabir has been called a Vaishnav bhakta, a pir, a bhagat, a Nath-yogi, a Tantric, a Sufi and many more. Kabir himself suggests what he was- a premi, madly in love with the divine. His messages were meant for the entire mankind irrespective of religion. He uttered the primal truth that God is but one even if we call him by many names. His vigorous criticisms of religious orthodoxies and rituals are still unimaginable to us. The present article seeks to highlight the role played by Kabir in his own time and ours.