Bhakti and Sufi Movements, Vijayanagara-Bahmani and the Marathas
Bhakti and Sufi Movements, Vijayanagara-Bahmani and the Marathas
Alongside the Sultanate and the Mughals, medieval India saw religious reform through Bhakti and Sufi saints, two rival Deccan kingdoms (Vijayanagara and Bahmani), and the rise of the Marathas. NTPC asks saint-teaching matches, founders and battles of the Deccan kingdoms, and Shivaji's administration.
1. Bhakti and Sufi Saints
| Saint | Region or order | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Ramanuja | South | Vishishtadvaita philosophy |
| Kabir | Varanasi | Weaver-poet; dohas collected in the Bijak |
| Guru Nanak | Punjab | Founder of Sikhism |
| Mirabai | Rajasthan | Devotee of Krishna |
| Chaitanya Mahaprabhu | Bengal | Popularised kirtan |
| Tulsidas | North | Ramcharitmanas (Awadhi) |
| Namdev, Tukaram | Maharashtra | Varkari tradition |
| Basavanna | Karnataka | Virashaiva (Lingayat) movement; vachanas |
| Shankaradeva | Assam | Ekasarana Dharma; satras and namghars |
| Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti | Ajmer | Chishti order in India |
| Nizamuddin Auliya | Delhi | Chishti saint; Amir Khusrau his disciple |
2. Vijayanagara and Bahmani
| Kingdom | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Vijayanagara (1336) | Founded by Harihara and Bukka (Sangama dynasty); capital Hampi; Krishnadeva Raya (Tuluva dynasty) wrote Amuktamalyada; ended as a power after the Battle of Talikota (1565) |
| Bahmani (1347) | Founded by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah; capital Gulbarga, later Bidar; minister Mahmud Gawan; split into five Deccan sultanates |
Bahmani's five successor sultanates: Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar, Berar and Bidar
3. The Marathas
| Item | Facts |
|---|---|
| Shivaji | Born at Shivneri (1630); crowned at Raigad (1674); Ashtapradhan council of eight ministers; taxes chauth and sardeshmukhi |
| Peshwas | Balaji Vishwanath first powerful Peshwa; Baji Rao I expanded north |
| Third Battle of Panipat (1761) | Marathas defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali |
✗ The Battle of Talikota (1565) was won by Vijayanagara | ✓ The Deccan sultanates defeated Vijayanagara there
✗ Amir Khusrau was a disciple of Moinuddin Chishti | ✓ He was a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya
हिंदी नोट: कबीर, गुरु नानक, मीराबाई और चैतन्य भक्ति आंदोलन के प्रमुख संत थे; ख्वाजा मोइनुद्दीन चिश्ती अजमेर और निज़ामुद्दीन औलिया दिल्ली के सूफ़ी संत थे। विजयनगर की स्थापना 1336 में हरिहर और बुक्का ने की; तालीकोटा (1565) के बाद उसका पतन हुआ। शिवाजी का राज्याभिषेक 1674 में रायगढ़ में हुआ।
Exam Pointer: Verified NTPC pattern: a Bhakti saint and his language (the Marathi abhangs of Tukaram, March 2026 Graduate CBT-1). Vijayanagara, Bahmani and Maratha questions are tagged syllabus-based.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Saints and their teachings
[PYQ: NTPC Graduate CBT-1 24-Mar-2026 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who wrote the Ramcharitmanas?
Tulsidas, in Awadhi.
Answer: Tulsidas
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Match the saints with their regions or orders: Chaitanya, Moinuddin Chishti, Tukaram.
Chaitanya: Bengal (kirtan). Moinuddin Chishti: Chishti order, Ajmer. Tukaram: Maharashtra (Varkari).
Answer: Bengal; Ajmer (Chishti); Maharashtra
Pattern 2: Vijayanagara and Bahmani
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who founded the Vijayanagara empire, and in which year?
Harihara and Bukka, in 1336.
Answer: Harihara and Bukka, 1336
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which Vijayanagara ruler wrote Amuktamalyada, and which battle ended Vijayanagara's power, in which year?
Krishnadeva Raya wrote Amuktamalyada. The Battle of Talikota in 1565 ended its power.
Answer: Krishnadeva Raya; Talikota, 1565
Pattern 3: Shivaji and the Marathas
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Where was Shivaji crowned, and in which year?
At Raigad, in 1674.
Answer: Raigad, 1674
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. What was Shivaji's council of ministers called, and which two taxes did the Marathas collect?
The Ashtapradhan (eight ministers). The taxes were chauth and sardeshmukhi.
Answer: Ashtapradhan; chauth and sardeshmukhi
Pattern 4: Later Maratha history
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat?
Ahmad Shah Abdali, in 1761.
Answer: Ahmad Shah Abdali
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Who was the first powerful Peshwa, and who was the minister who strengthened the Bahmani kingdom?
Balaji Vishwanath; Mahmud Gawan.
Answer: Balaji Vishwanath; Mahmud Gawan
60-Second Revision
- Kabir (Bijak), Tulsidas (Ramcharitmanas), Chaitanya (kirtan), Nanak (Sikhism).
- Chishti order: Ajmer; Nizamuddin Auliya: Delhi, disciple Amir Khusrau.
- Vijayanagara 1336, Hampi, Krishnadeva Raya, Talikota 1565.
- Shivaji: Raigad 1674, Ashtapradhan; Panipat III 1761.