Abstract

This paper aims to examine the role of Bhakti saints in music during Mughal period. During the time of Mughals, music played an essential part in Bhakti tradition. In this paper, we have noticed that Bhakti saints not only devoted themselves to worshipping God but also made significant contributions to the cultural life of their times. Listening to music to achieve a state of ecstasy and to profoundly engage in love for God is how these people express their devotion to God, and music is the medium through which they do it. By performing a variety of music that they have created themselves, Bhakti saints can effectively transmit their societal ideals and ambitions to us, which is an interesting phenomenon to observe. In this paper, we examined that with the use of regional languages in their compositions, Bhakti saints provide a common ground for the people of India. This, in turn, attracts people and fosters an environment of peaceful coexistence between Hindus and Muslims. We see that Temples were the most effective arena for cultural transmission, and as a result, they played a crucial role in disseminating the composite tradition in art and culture. We have undertaken to trace the Mughal emperors, especially Akbar, who had a spiritual leaning towards Bhakti saints and would visit their places and listen to their music. It is quite fascinating to see that saints of the Bhakti tradition gave performances in a wide variety of musical styles throughout this period.