Tulsidas

Tulsidas, also known as Goswami Tulsidas, was a Hindu bhakti poet-saint prominent in the north Indian devotional tradition. He is best known for composing the Ramcharitmanas, an epic in Awadhi that retells the story of Rama from the Ramayana with a focus on devotional worship. He is also traditionally credited with the Hanuman Chalisa, a widely recited 40-verse hymn praising the devotee Hanuman, along with other devotional works such as Vinay Patrika.

Life and chronology are not precisely documented. He is traditionally dated to the 16th century, with birth believed to have occurred in Rajapur, near Varanasi, in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India, and he is said to have spent later years in Varanasi. The biographical details of his life are the subject of devotional legend, and historical records from that period are sparse, leading to varying accounts of exact dates and events.

Literary significance and language:

Ramcharitmanas is written in Awadhi, a vernacular language, which helped popularize the Ramayana narrative beyond Sanskrit-reading communities. The work presents Rama as an accessible ideal of dharma (righteous conduct) and devotion, emphasizing personal devotion, moral virtue, humility, and compassion. The Hanuman Chalisa, also in Awadhi, extols Hanuman’s strength, courage, and devoted service to Rama. Together, these texts contributed to the spread of Rama bhakti (devotion to Rama) across northern India.

Legacy:

Tulsidas’ writings have had a lasting impact on Hindu devotion, literature, and popular worship. Ramcharitmanas remains a central text in many Rama-oriented temples and households, particularly during festivals such as Rama Navami and Diwali. Scholarly assessments vary on biographical specifics, but his influence on the development of Hindi and vernacular devotional literature is widely acknowledged.