Bhagats

Bhagats, singular Bhagat, is a term used in Indian religious literature to denote devoted saints and poet-saints associated with the Bhakti movement in medieval India. The title is used across Hindu and Jain traditions, and in Sikhism the term refers to a group of devotional poets whose hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib. These authors typically wrote in vernacular languages rather than classical Sanskrit and urged personal devotion to God, ethical conduct, and social equality.

In Sikh tradition, the Bhagats' hymns are part of the Sikh scripture and are treated as devotional voices that complement the Gurus' own hymns. Their poetry reflects a Bhakti emphasis on a direct relationship with the divine, often challenging ritualism and caste hierarchies, while promoting humility, compassion, and service.

Notable Bhagats commonly cited include Namdev, Kabir, Ravidas, Farid, Pipa, Dhanna Bhagat, Trilochan, and Sain. Their works address devotion to a single God, the moral responsibilities of believers, and the importance of living truthfully and justly. Although their backgrounds varied—hindu, Muslim, Jain, and others—their writings collectively contributed to a pluralistic spiritual landscape.

Scholars view the inclusion of the Bhagats’ hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib as evidence of the pluralistic and inclusive foundations of Sikh scripture and of the broader Bhakti movement’s influence on devotional literature in the Indian subcontinent. The Bhagats’ legacy lies in their vernacular, accessible expressions of devotion and ethical living, which influenced later religious movements and continue to be studied for their historical and theological significance.