Social Science · Class 7

Active learning ideas

Bhakti Saints of Maharashtra

Active learning works well for this topic because the Bhakti saints spoke directly to people’s lives through poetry and everyday actions. When students explore their teachings through discussion, role play, and close reading, they connect with the humanism and simplicity of these saints more deeply than they would through lectures.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• CBSE: Devotional Paths to the Divine - Class 7

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Meaning of an Abhanga

Students read a translated Abhanga by Tukaram or Chokhamela (who was from an 'untouchable' caste). In small groups, they discuss what the poet says about 'true' vs. 'fake' devotion and present their summary.

Explain the reasons why the Marathi saints rejected formal ritualism in favor of personal devotion.

Facilitation Tip

For Think-Pair-Share, ask students to contrast a saint’s decision to stay with family against the idea of becoming a wandering ascetic, using specific lines from their poems as evidence.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If you were a follower of the Bhakti saints, how would you explain the importance of helping others to someone who only believes in performing rituals?' Encourage students to use examples from the saints' lives and teachings.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 40 min · Whole Class

Role Play: The Varkari Pilgrimage

Students simulate the 'Vari' (pilgrimage) to Pandharpur. They walk in a line, 'singing' or reciting verses, and act out scenes where people of different castes share food and water, demonstrating the equality of the tradition.

Analyze how these saints articulated and promoted 'humanism' through their devotional poetry and teachings.

What to look for

Provide students with a short excerpt from an 'Abhanga' (translated into simple Marathi or English). Ask them to identify one core message of the saint and explain how it reflects a rejection of formal ritualism or an emphasis on humanism.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Renunciation vs. Family Life

The Marathi saints believed one didn't need to leave their family to find God. Students think about the pros and cons of this idea compared to being a monk. They pair up to discuss which path they find more practical for most people.

Evaluate the spiritual and cultural importance of Pandharpur as a center for the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra.

What to look for

On a small slip of paper, ask students to write down: 1. The name of one Bhakti saint from Maharashtra. 2. One reason they rejected formal ritualism. 3. One word that describes the importance of Pandharpur to the movement.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by grounding abstract concepts like ‘universal love’ in concrete examples from the saints’ lives, such as Tukaram’s grain business or Namdev’s interactions with people of all castes. Avoid presenting these saints as distant, ascetic figures. Instead, highlight their rootedness in ordinary work and family. Research shows that when students see devotion as an everyday practice rather than an extraordinary one, they engage more deeply with the humanism at the heart of the Bhakti movement.

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining the saints’ rejection of caste and ritualism, using their own words to describe how these ideas were lived out. They should also show empathy for the saints’ emphasis on serving others, linking it to their own experiences of community or family life.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Collaborative Investigation on the meaning of an abhanga, watch for students assuming all Bhakti saints were from the Brahmin caste.

  Use the provided caste diversity chart during the activity to highlight that Namdev was a tailor, Tukaram a trader, and Chokhamela a Mahar, and ask students to reflect on how this diversity shaped their messages of equality.

• During the Think-Pair-Share on renunciation vs. family life, listen for students believing the saints taught people to abandon their families and jobs.

  Refer to the family portraits or excerpts from Namdev’s poems shown during the activity to emphasize that the saints taught devotion through honest work, not by leaving the world behind.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Role Play
• Think-Pair-Share