A Critical Analysis of Bhima Bhoi and the Mahima Cult

A Critical Analysis of Bhima Bhoi and the Mahima Cult explores the poet-philosopher's role in championing human rights and the history of the 19th-century Indian sociocultural system. Bhima Bhoi's prayers, hymns, and poetic recitals provide a supportive sub-structure to a transcendent, ecstatic vision, making him the legend, poet-archivist, and historiographer of the Mahima Cult.

Format: Hardback
Length: 218 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

A Critical Analysis of Bhima Bhoi and the Mahima Cult is a remarkable collection of insightful essays by renowned Indian scholars on the Mahima Cult, its origins, and its development. The book centers around Bhima Bhoi, the poet-philosopher and the primary interlocutor of the Renegade Faith, who led a revolt from below to advocate for human rights. To fully appreciate the Saint-poet Bhima Bhoi and the Mahima Cult (Dharma of Glory), it is essential to reconstruct the history of the 19th-century Indian sociocultural system, particularly that of Odisha and its neighboring states. Unfortunately, there are no surviving oral or written texts authored by the founder of the cult, Mahima Swami, leaving Bhima Bhoi as the unlettered genius who created numerous prayers, hymns, and poetic recitals of profound philosophical significance. Bhima Bhoi was a poet of the soul and the soil, employing theology and social experience to provide a supportive sub-structure to a transcendent, ecstatic vision. This volume asserts that the Mahima Dharma is an indigenous reform movement and a regional variation of the Indian Bhakti tradition and mystical poetry.

Weight: 535g
Dimension: 237 x 161 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666955576