The whole chapter on one page: Tamil saints, acharyas, northern and regional saints, Sufi silsilas, impact and the Chhattisgarh legacy. For explanations, go back to the [chapter](/history/bhakti-sufi/).

{{< callout type="tip" title="How to use this sheet" >}}
Scan it top to bottom in the week before Prelims. **Bold** entries are the facts examiners return to most often.
{{< /callout >}}

## Tamil Saints

| Group | Facts |
|-------|-------|
| **Alvars** | **12**; Vishnu; **Nalayira Divya Prabandham** (compiled by Nathamuni); **Andal** the only woman Alvar; Nammalvar (*Tiruvaymoli*) |
| **Nayanars** | **63**; Shiva; **Tevaram** (Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar); **Periya Puranam** by **Sekkizhar**; Karaikkal Ammaiyar (woman) |
| Not one of the 63 | Manikkavasagar (*Tiruvasagam*) |

## Acharyas

| Acharya | Philosophy | Sect / centre |
|---------|------------|---------------|
| Shankara | **Advaita** | Kaladi; mathas at Sringeri, Dwarka, Puri, Jyotirmath |
| **Ramanuja** | **Vishishtadvaita** | Sri sampradaya; Srirangam; Sri Bhashya |
| **Madhva** | **Dvaita** | Brahma sampradaya; Udupi |
| **Nimbarka** | **Dvaitadvaita** | Kumara (Sanaka) sampradaya; Radha-Krishna |
| **Vallabha** | **Shuddhadvaita** | Pushtimarg; Rudra sampradaya; **born Champaran (Chhattisgarh), 1479** |
| Chaitanya | Achintya Bhedabheda | Gaudiya Vaishnavism; sankirtan |
| Basava | Virashaiva (Lingayat) | Kalyana; minister of Bijjala II; vachanas; Anubhava Mantapa |

## Saints of the North and the Regions

| Saint | Region | Remember |
|-------|--------|----------|
| Ramananda | North | Rama bhakti in Hindi; disciples Kabir, Ravidas, Sena, Dhanna, Pipa, Padmavati |
| **Kabir** | Varanasi | **Nirguna**; weaver; **Bijak**; Maghar; dates disputed |
| **Guru Nanak** | Punjab | **1469–1539**; Talwandi, Kartarpur; langar, sangat |
| Ravidas | Varanasi | Leather-worker; Mirabai's guru (tradition) |
| Dadu Dayal | Rajasthan | Dadupanth; 16th century |
| **Tulsidas** | Awadh | **Ramcharitmanas, Awadhi** |
| **Surdas** | Braj | **Sursagar, Braj Bhasha**; Ashtachhap |
| Mirabai | Rajasthan | Merta princess, Mewar family; Krishna |
| Narsinh Mehta | Gujarat | "Vaishnav Jan To" |
| **Jnaneshwar** | Maharashtra | **Dnyaneshwari (1290)** |
| Namdev / Eknath / Tukaram | Maharashtra | Varkari; Vithoba of Pandharpur; abhangas |
| Ramdas | Maharashtra | Dasbodh |
| **Sankardev** | **Assam** | **1449–1568**; Ekasarana; Namghar, Sattra, Ankiya Naat, Borgeet |
| Lal Ded | Kashmir | 14th century; vakhs |

**Adi Granth** — compiled by **Guru Arjan, 1604**; includes Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, **Baba Farid**.

## Sufi Silsilas

| Silsila | Saint(s) in India | Centre | Note |
|---------|-------------------|--------|------|
| **Chishti** | **Muinuddin** (d. 1236), Bakhtiyar Kaki, **Baba Farid**, **Nizamuddin Auliya** (1238–1325), Nasiruddin Chirag, Gesu Daraz, Salim Chishti | Ajmer, Delhi, Pakpattan, Gulbarga, Fatehpur Sikri | Away from state; sama; Hindavi |
| **Suhrawardi** | **Bahauddin Zakariya** | **Multan** | Accepted state patronage |
| **Firdausi** | **Sharafuddin Yahya Maneri** | **Bihar Sharif** | Kubrawi offshoot; Maktubat-i-Sadi |
| Qadiri | Shah Niamatullah, **Mian Mir**, Mulla Shah | Uch, Lahore | **Dara Shikoh** |
| Shattari | Shah Abdullah Shattari, Muhammad Ghaus | Mandu, Gwalior | Tansen buried near Muhammad Ghaus |
| **Naqshbandi** | **Baqi Billah, Ahmad Sirhindi**, Shah Waliullah | Delhi, Sirhind | Orthodox; no sama; **Wahdat-ul-Shuhud** |
| Rishi | Nund Rishi (Sheikh Nuruddin Wali) | Kashmir | Charar-e-Sharif |

| Text / idea | Detail |
|-------------|--------|
| Kashf-ul-Mahjub | Al-Hujwiri, Lahore; earliest Persian Sufi treatise |
| Fawaid-ul-Fuad | Nizamuddin's conversations, by Amir Hasan Sijzi |
| Wahdat-ul-Wujud | Unity of Being; Ibn al-Arabi |
| Wahdat-ul-Shuhud | Unity of Appearance; Ahmad Sirhindi |
| Majma-ul-Bahrain | Dara Shikoh; Sufism and Vedanta |
| Ain-i-Akbari | 14 silsilas |

## Chhattisgarh Links

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Vallabhacharya** | Born **Champaran** (Raipur district), **1479** |
| **Dharamdas** | Kabir's disciple; Dharamdasi Kabirpanth; "Adi Kavi" of Chhattisgarhi |
| Kabirpanth seat | **Kawardha 1806–1903 → Damakheda (since 1903)** |
| **Kabirdham** | Kawardha district renamed **17 January 2003** |
| **Guru Ghasidas** | Born **18 Dec 1756, Girodpuri**; Satnam Panth; jaitkhamb |
| **Ramnami Samaj** | **Parasuram Bharadwaj, Charpara** (Janjgir-Champa); 1890s; "Ram" tattoos |

## Don't Confuse

| This | vs | That |
|------|----|------|
| Alvars — Vishnu, 12 | vs | Nayanars — Shiva, 63 |
| Vishishtadvaita — Ramanuja | vs | Shuddhadvaita — Vallabha |
| Dvaita — Madhva | vs | Dvaitadvaita — Nimbarka |
| Ramananda (Hindi, Rama, all castes) | vs | Ramanuja (Sanskrit, Srirangam) |
| Tulsidas — Awadhi | vs | Surdas — Braj |
| Chishti — away from state | vs | Suhrawardi — accepted patronage |
| Firdausi — Bihar | vs | Suhrawardi — Multan |
| Champaran (CG) — Vallabha | vs | Champaran (Bihar) — Gandhi, 1917 |
| Girodpuri — Ghasidas | vs | Damakheda — Kabirpanth |
| Satnam Panth (Ghasidas, CG) | vs | Satnamis of Narnaul (revolt, 1672) |

{{< callout type="warning" title="Favourite MCQ traps" >}}
- Kabir is **nirguna**, even though he says "Ram".
- **Ramcharitmanas is in Awadhi**, not Braj.
- **Sirhindi was a Naqshbandi**, not a Chishti; **Dara Shikoh was a Qadiri**.
- The **Adi Granth** includes non-Sikh saints, including the Sufi **Baba Farid**.
- **Vallabhacharya's Champaran** is in Chhattisgarh, not Bihar.
{{< /callout >}}

---
Source: https://cgpscnotes.in/history/bhakti-sufi/quick-revision/

History Bhakti and Sufi Movements

Bhakti and Sufi Movements — Quick Revision

One-page CGPSC quick revision for Bhakti and Sufi Movements: every saint, acharya, text, silsila and Chhattisgarh link in tables.

3 min read Updated Oct 2026 #quick revision#cgpsc#bhakti

The whole chapter on one page: Tamil saints, acharyas, northern and regional saints, Sufi silsilas, impact and the Chhattisgarh legacy. For explanations, go back to the chapter.

How to use this sheet

Scan it top to bottom in the week before Prelims. Bold entries are the facts examiners return to most often.

Tamil Saints

Group	Facts
Alvars	12; Vishnu; Nalayira Divya Prabandham (compiled by Nathamuni); Andal the only woman Alvar; Nammalvar (Tiruvaymoli)
Nayanars	63; Shiva; Tevaram (Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar); Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar; Karaikkal Ammaiyar (woman)
Not one of the 63	Manikkavasagar (Tiruvasagam)

Acharyas

Acharya	Philosophy	Sect / centre
Shankara	Advaita	Kaladi; mathas at Sringeri, Dwarka, Puri, Jyotirmath
Ramanuja	Vishishtadvaita	Sri sampradaya; Srirangam; Sri Bhashya
Madhva	Dvaita	Brahma sampradaya; Udupi
Nimbarka	Dvaitadvaita	Kumara (Sanaka) sampradaya; Radha-Krishna
Vallabha	Shuddhadvaita	Pushtimarg; Rudra sampradaya; born Champaran (Chhattisgarh), 1479
Chaitanya	Achintya Bhedabheda	Gaudiya Vaishnavism; sankirtan
Basava	Virashaiva (Lingayat)	Kalyana; minister of Bijjala II; vachanas; Anubhava Mantapa

Saints of the North and the Regions

Saint	Region	Remember
Ramananda	North	Rama bhakti in Hindi; disciples Kabir, Ravidas, Sena, Dhanna, Pipa, Padmavati
Kabir	Varanasi	Nirguna; weaver; Bijak; Maghar; dates disputed
Guru Nanak	Punjab	1469–1539; Talwandi, Kartarpur; langar, sangat
Ravidas	Varanasi	Leather-worker; Mirabai’s guru (tradition)
Dadu Dayal	Rajasthan	Dadupanth; 16th century
Tulsidas	Awadh	Ramcharitmanas, Awadhi
Surdas	Braj	Sursagar, Braj Bhasha; Ashtachhap
Mirabai	Rajasthan	Merta princess, Mewar family; Krishna
Narsinh Mehta	Gujarat	“Vaishnav Jan To”
Jnaneshwar	Maharashtra	Dnyaneshwari (1290)
Namdev / Eknath / Tukaram	Maharashtra	Varkari; Vithoba of Pandharpur; abhangas
Ramdas	Maharashtra	Dasbodh
Sankardev	Assam	1449–1568; Ekasarana; Namghar, Sattra, Ankiya Naat, Borgeet
Lal Ded	Kashmir	14th century; vakhs

Adi Granth — compiled by Guru Arjan, 1604; includes Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, Baba Farid.

Sufi Silsilas

Silsila	Saint(s) in India	Centre	Note
Chishti	Muinuddin (d. 1236), Bakhtiyar Kaki, Baba Farid, Nizamuddin Auliya (1238–1325), Nasiruddin Chirag, Gesu Daraz, Salim Chishti	Ajmer, Delhi, Pakpattan, Gulbarga, Fatehpur Sikri	Away from state; sama; Hindavi
Suhrawardi	Bahauddin Zakariya	Multan	Accepted state patronage
Firdausi	Sharafuddin Yahya Maneri	Bihar Sharif	Kubrawi offshoot; Maktubat-i-Sadi
Qadiri	Shah Niamatullah, Mian Mir, Mulla Shah	Uch, Lahore	Dara Shikoh
Shattari	Shah Abdullah Shattari, Muhammad Ghaus	Mandu, Gwalior	Tansen buried near Muhammad Ghaus
Naqshbandi	Baqi Billah, Ahmad Sirhindi, Shah Waliullah	Delhi, Sirhind	Orthodox; no sama; Wahdat-ul-Shuhud
Rishi	Nund Rishi (Sheikh Nuruddin Wali)	Kashmir	Charar-e-Sharif

Text / idea	Detail
Kashf-ul-Mahjub	Al-Hujwiri, Lahore; earliest Persian Sufi treatise
Fawaid-ul-Fuad	Nizamuddin’s conversations, by Amir Hasan Sijzi
Wahdat-ul-Wujud	Unity of Being; Ibn al-Arabi
Wahdat-ul-Shuhud	Unity of Appearance; Ahmad Sirhindi
Majma-ul-Bahrain	Dara Shikoh; Sufism and Vedanta
Ain-i-Akbari	14 silsilas

Chhattisgarh Links

Fact	Detail
Vallabhacharya	Born Champaran (Raipur district), 1479
Dharamdas	Kabir’s disciple; Dharamdasi Kabirpanth; “Adi Kavi” of Chhattisgarhi
Kabirpanth seat	Kawardha 1806–1903 → Damakheda (since 1903)
Kabirdham	Kawardha district renamed 17 January 2003
Guru Ghasidas	Born 18 Dec 1756, Girodpuri; Satnam Panth; jaitkhamb
Ramnami Samaj	Parasuram Bharadwaj, Charpara (Janjgir-Champa); 1890s; “Ram” tattoos

Don’t Confuse

This	vs	That
Alvars — Vishnu, 12	vs	Nayanars — Shiva, 63
Vishishtadvaita — Ramanuja	vs	Shuddhadvaita — Vallabha
Dvaita — Madhva	vs	Dvaitadvaita — Nimbarka
Ramananda (Hindi, Rama, all castes)	vs	Ramanuja (Sanskrit, Srirangam)
Tulsidas — Awadhi	vs	Surdas — Braj
Chishti — away from state	vs	Suhrawardi — accepted patronage
Firdausi — Bihar	vs	Suhrawardi — Multan
Champaran (CG) — Vallabha	vs	Champaran (Bihar) — Gandhi, 1917
Girodpuri — Ghasidas	vs	Damakheda — Kabirpanth
Satnam Panth (Ghasidas, CG)	vs	Satnamis of Narnaul (revolt, 1672)

Favourite MCQ traps

Kabir is nirguna, even though he says “Ram”.
Ramcharitmanas is in Awadhi, not Braj.
Sirhindi was a Naqshbandi, not a Chishti; Dara Shikoh was a Qadiri.
The Adi Granth includes non-Sikh saints, including the Sufi Baba Farid.
Vallabhacharya’s Champaran is in Chhattisgarh, not Bihar.

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