The bhakti movement forms the essence of the Marathi culture. The movement transcends social boundaries like caste, creed and language. The path of bhakti built by great poet-saints like Dnyandev, Tukaram and Namdev has attracted many a faithful from other religions and neighbouring regions. Lakhs of Warkaris going on the annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur for 700 years shows the grip of the bhakti movement over the Marathi ethos.

Jaitunbi alias Jaydas Maharaj (80) was a kirtankar revered by Warkaris for her lucid preaching. Born a Muslim, Jaitunbi was introduced to the verses of Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar by her guru, Hanumandas Maharaj. She was deeply impressed by the philosophy of the poets. She had more than 5,000 followers. Jaitunbi used to keep rojas during Ramzan and offered namaz everyday. She passed away during the recent pilgrimage to Pandharpur. She always wished that her end should come during the pilgrimage. She was on her 62nd pilgrimage and had performed a kirtan the previous night. Her followers believe “Akka” has reached Vaikunth, the abode of Vitthal.Yusufkhan Mohammadkhan Pathan, a prolific writer, has several scholarly books on Marathi saint literature to his credit. He is an authority on the subject. A doctorate in Marathi literature and he became the vice chancellor of the Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. Dr Pathan, a Muslim, studied Quran in childhood. He assisted in the publication of Marathi Divya Quran. He presided over the all-India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Pune in 1990 and is a recipient of a certificate of honour for Persian scholarship and Padma Shri for excellence in literature and education.

Bishop Thomas Dabre of Vasai chose the life and teachings of Sant Tukaram as subject for his doctoral research and earned a Ph.D for his thesis, “The god experience of Tukaram — a study in religious symbolism,” from the Jnana Deepa Vidypeeth, Pune in 1979. He is an authority on Tukaram.

Father Dr. Francis D’ Britto, editor of Suvarta, a community journal from Vasai, is a prolific Marathi writer. He writes scholarly articles on Christian and Marathi saints with equal ease. Both Dabre and D’ britto were involved in the celebration plans of the fourth birth centenary of Sant Tukaram.

One wishes that there are more persons like these that show a ray of hope in these days of communal, religious and provincial squabbling and strife.