TUKARAM – III

The fascination for Sant Tukaram cuts across the barriers of time and culture. His contemporaries have written about him. His disciples have written about him. There is no stopping of writing about him since then. His biographies are written in simple words for benefit of school children and like. Scholastic biographical books have been written about him after careful and detailed research of his life. The authors themselves are accomplished literary figures like Dilip Chitre, Bhalchandra Nemade, Sadanand More. No other Marathi saint as liberally quote as Tukaram. Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak quotes him several times in Geeta Rahasya (Commentary on Bhgavadgeeta). Many Non-Marathi and even Non Indians have written on him. Here I must thank a valuable link provided by Dilip Dhonde for the works of Tukaram. ( The link is reproduced at the end.) The fascination is about both, his life and his work. It was in seventeenth century and it is now in twenty first century. I am sure it is not going to die for many more centuries to come.

His work barely consists of four and half thousand poetry compositions. It can not be called as very huge work. Many lesser known have written much more volume. Some of his compositions are as small as 3 lines and some 100 + lines. It’s not the volume but the content that makes his work outstanding. The language used by him is not particularly urban but more akin to rural folklore. At times it is even uncivilized. No fuss but with clarity of pointed delivery. The style has endeared him to both, the scholar and simpleton. He writes about practically every thing under the sun. Some times it is auto biography, some times it is advice as elderly about ethical behavior, as advisor to the king, some times it is surrender to favorite Pandurang, some times it is about other Gods and saints, sometimes contemplation on formless existence, sometimes The canvas is spectacular.

Many have tried in the past to select from his work for commentary. Many will continue to do so in future. Your blogger wants to attempt to do so from now and here. To use his own words Aapuliya bale nahi mi bolat, sakha krupavant vacha tyachi. ( I don’t speak of my own, My kind and friendly lord speaks through me.)

The link provided by Mr. Dhonde is www.tukaram.com
Arvind Khare
Khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210