Poetry at Sangam
Poetry at Sangam showcases poetry in English and translations as well as essays on poetics and news of new releases.
Sant Kanhopatra was a 15th century bhakti poet in the Varkari tradition. She was the daughter of a rich prostitute or courtesan called Shama (or Shyama) in the town of Mangalwedha (near Pandharpur) and was trained early in song and dance in order to follow her mother’s profession. She grew to be very beautiful and Shama urged her to perform before the Badshah but she refused. When the pressure mounted on her to enter the profession which she abhorred, she fled to Pandharpur and took refuge at Vitthal’s feet. She remained there, ‘wedded’ herself to Vithoba and, living the life of an ascetic, sang and danced only before him at the temple which she cleaned herself twice a day. Her fame spread as she composed and sang ovis and abhangs in Vitthal’s praise. In the Varkari tradition, Vitthal or Vithoba is often also referred to in the feminine gender. Hence we hear Kanhopatra appealing to Vithabai, Vithamai, Kanhai, Krishnai where ‘aie’ or ‘mother’ describes Vitthal, Kanha and Krishna. Word of her beauty and her song reached the Bahamani ruler’s ear and he sent gifts for her inviting her to be his concubine. When she refused, the Badshah sent soldiers to bring her by force. She asked to be allowed to meet Vitthal one last time and went into the temple. She is said to have sung the first abhang translated in this poem and that was her last composition. As the soldiers grew impatient it was found that Kanhopatra was no more and in her place grew a tarati tree which stands there still and is worshipped by devotees. In other accounts, the Chandrabhaga river that flows through Pandharpur broke its banks, flooded the temple and Kanhopatra’s body was found downstream on a rock. She was buried inside the gates of the Vithoba temple and hers is the only mausoleum (or samadhi) to a Varkari saint that exists within the compound of the temple. Kanhopatra is also the only woman Sant poet in the Varkari tradition who was accepted as a Sant without a male Sant as guru.
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