Great Indian saint, Tukaram

Tukaram was one of the most popular poet-saints of Maharashtra. His abhangas (religious verses) are collected in the Gatha.

Tukaram was born in around 1608 A.D. in Delhi, a tiny village 14 miles away from Pune in a farmer family. His father Blahoba owned a grocer’s shop and he used to lend money also. His mother’s name was kanakai. Tukaram was the second of the three sons of the couple.

Tukaram helped his father in running the shop and keeping accounts. He was married to a girl by the name of Rakhumabai. They were blessed with a son named Santu. Rakhumanai was suffering from asthma and her condition grew delicate. On the advice of his father Tukaram married Jijabai, the daughter of Appaji Gulve, a moneylender from Pune. On her marriage Tukaram gave name of Avalal. After the death of his parents he had to support his two wives besides his two brothers.

Tukaram was too soft-hearted to be strict with his debtors. Some of them even disowned their debts as he took no strong action against them. His business was ruined and his family members suffered from hunger. Tukaram first wife Rakhumabai and his son Santu died. His eldest brother Savji left home one day and was never seen again. Tukaram had nothing left and he was unable to carry the family burden.

Tukaram often went to the Bhambnath hill nearby for meditation and worshipped vithoba in the temple. Alone in silence he thought of the life divine. He sang songs in worship and love of Vithoba at Pandharpur. Avalai, his second wife did not like her husband’s saintly ways but served him with devotion. She often brought money from her parents to run the home.

Tukaram loved to walk in the forest or climb the Bhambnath hill for meditation and prayer. The owner of a nearby farm employed Tukaram to drive away the birds from destroying the crop. But Tukaram fed the birds thinking that they were Vithoba’s creatures. When the owner came to the farm, he found that the birds had eaten up almost the entire crop. He dragged Tukaram to the village panchayat and they made him sign a bond for two khandis (1 khandi=20 maunds) of grain more than the expected bumper crop. Both Tukaram and Avalia worked hard in the field. Vinoba blessed His devotee and the reaped crop came in total to 18 khandis to the amazement of the villagers. Tukaram donated the money he had earned from the crop for repairing the temple in the hill.

Tukaram made a long hard journey to Pandhpur where he joined the pious devotees who sang and danced before Vithoba. Later he returned home moved by Avalai’s devotion. But it was impossible for him to take up again the petty cares and duties of a grocer. He started giving Kirtans and composed abhangas (religious verses). He sang songs in a wonderful ways and large crowds turned out to hear him. He brought the Lord’s divine glory to one and all without any distinction.

Tukaram lived a devoted life dedicated to the worship of Vithoba. One day in 1650 he was performing kirtan till late in the night. At the peak of his very great joy and overpowering emotion, there was a blinding rush of light. The listeners shut their eyes and when they reopened them Tukaram had disappeared from their sight.