Bhima Bhoi

The earliest authentic testimonies of the Mahima Dharma ("the Dharma of Glory") movement which originated during the 19th century as an autochthonous reform movement, emerging out of the nirguna bhakti tradition of India are included in this volume. The impressive compositions of Bhima Bhoi, a lay guru who fought against social evils such as caste and ritualized piety and initiated women into his community, paint a picture of one of the most fascinating living religious traditions of Orissa.