# Ramananda and Bhakti in the North (c. 1400)

URL: https://allhistories.com/hinduism/timeline/1400-ramananda-and-bhakti-in-the-north
Location: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Themes: Religion

Ramananda, who is traditionally placed in Varanasi in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, teaches devotion to Rama in Hindi and accepts disciples of all castes. Later tradition names Kabir, Ravidas and Sena among them. His dates are uncertain and the Ramanandi sect arose after his time. Many scholars consider him a link between southern Sri Vaishnavism and northern vernacular devotion. Hagiographies called Bhaktamal, composed by Nabhadas around 1600, preserve most accounts of his life and circle. His own writings are few and of disputed authorship.

## Why it matters
He is credited with opening Vaishnava devotion to women and low-caste followers and spreading Rama worship in North India.

Paramount Power at the Time: [Nasir ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq](https://allhistories.com/hinduism/rulers/nasir-ud-din-mahmud-shah-tughluq)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Ramananda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramananda)
- [Wikipedia — Ramanandi Sampradaya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramanandi_Sampradaya)