Ramananda

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Ramananda, also known as Ramananda Acharya, was a 14th‑century Hindu saint and poet who lived in northern India along the Ganges plain. He founded the Ramanandi Sampradaya, which is the largest group of Hindu renunciants today.

Birth and life
- He was born into a Kanyakubja Brahmin family in Prayagraj (present‑day Allahabad) on December 30, in the 14th century.
- He spent most of his life in Varanasi and his exact dates of birth and death are uncertain, with estimates placing him in the mid‑14th to mid‑15th century.

Philosophy and teaching
- Ramananda taught that true devotion to God is a personal experience that comes from the heart. He emphasized inner realization over empty rituals.
- He promoted the idea that God (Hari/Vishnu) is within every person, so one does not need special temples or rituals to reach God.
- He wrote and spoke in vernacular Hindi to make spiritual ideas accessible to common people.

Social reform and inclusivity
- He welcomed disciples regardless of caste, gender, or social status and criticized practices that divided people.
- Legend says the young Kabir, who came from a low-caste family, became his devotee, challenging untouchability and showing devotion can come from anyone.

Influence and legacy
- Ramananda played a key role in the North Indian Bhakti movement during a time of rule by foreign powers.
- He is often credited with shaping the tradition of bhakti saints and inspiring many later poet‑sants, including Kabir, Ravidas, Pipa, Dhanna, and Surdas. Some of his attributed verses appear in Sikh scriptures as well.
- He is remembered as a founder of the Ramanandi order, whose followers are called Ramanandis or Vairagis. This monastic community remains one of the largest in India, known for its simple and disciplined way of life.

In short, Ramananda popularized direct, heartfelt devotion to God in the local language, welcomed everyone to seek spirituality, and helped lay the groundwork for a major monastic and devotional movement in India.