Divya Kulkarni
Independent Researcher
Karnataka, India
Abstract
This abstract delves into the complex tapestry of religious syncretism in medieval Deccan Bhakti poetry by focusing on two emblematic figures: the Dakhini Sufi-Bhakti poet Bande Nawaz (Syed Muhammad Gesudaraz, 14th–15th century) and the Kannada Virashaiva mystic Allama Prabhu (12th–13th century). Drawing upon a wide array of sources—including critical editions of poetic anthologies, hagiographical materials, regional inscriptions, and live ethnographic observations—this study illustrates how devotional poets deliberately wove together Hindu and Islamic theological idioms into vernacular discourses. The analysis foregrounds four principal syncretic strategies: thematic convergence on divine love through the “Beloved” metaphor; lexical hybridity via insertion of Arabic-Persian terms in Kannada and Dravidian idioms in Dakhini; ritual poetics that reframe pilgrimage and ascetic symbols across traditions; and adaptive transmission practices seen in manuscript traditions and festival performances. Employing a mixed-methods design, the research combines hermeneutic close readings with quantitative motif coding, critical philology to reconstruct manuscript variants, and fieldwork—including structured interviews with custodians and participants at dargah‐temple festival overlaps in Gulbarga and Basavakalyan. Findings show a high degree of motif overlap—67 percent by coded frequency—and reveal that poets used syncretic syntax to reach audiences beyond sectarian confines, thus embedding their work in broader socio‐political frameworks of the Sultanates and Vijayanagara kingdoms. The paper argues that this literate syncretism reinforced Deccan’s pluralistic identity and functioned as a mechanism for conflict mitigation, offering a premodern template for religious dialogue. Concluding sections reflect on contemporary resonances, suggesting that these historical models can inform modern interfaith initiatives, heritage preservation, and vernacular‐based education programs.
Keywords
Religious Syncretism, Bhakti Poetry, Dakhini, Kannada Saints, Interfaith Dialogue, Vernacular Devotional Literature
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