Bahinabai

Bahinabai (1628-1700) was a Varkari saint-poet from Maharashtra, India. She is revered in the Hindu tradition for her devotional poetry, particularly her abhangas (devotional hymns) in the Marathi language. Bahinabai's writings primarily focus on her spiritual journey, her devotion to the god Vitthal (a form of Krishna), and her experiences as a wife and woman in 17th-century India. Her life story, pieced together from her own writings and hagiographies, describes her early interest in spirituality, her arranged marriage at a young age, and her struggles to reconcile her worldly duties with her yearning for divine connection. She considered Tukaram, another prominent Varkari saint, to be her guru, although some accounts suggest they never met physically. Her poetry often expresses themes of detachment from worldly desires, the importance of inner devotion, and the equality of all beings in the eyes of God. Bahinabai's work continues to be studied and recited by devotees of the Varkari tradition and those interested in Marathi devotional literature.