AKKA MAHADEVI

AKKA MAHADEVI

Bhakti movement, which preached that the patch to God is through utter devotion without any distinction of caste, creed or status, produced some great poets and spiritualists. Akka Mahadevi, the Kannada poet devotee was one such personality. She was born in the 12th century in Udutadi village in Sivamoga area. She was initiated into Shiva worship at the age of 10, and became an ardent devotee of Chenna Mallikarjuna, which literally meant “beautiful Lord, white as jasmine”. This description of Lord Shiva became her ‘Ankita’ or ‘Signature’ in her poetry.

When she grew into a beautiful girl, the king of that area chanced to see her and fell in love with her. Soon after, she was married to him against her wishes. Since she had accepted Chena Mallikarjuna as the Lord of her body and soul, she had no time or inclination for the worldly pleasures. The misery of being wife of a mortal found its expression in poetry. In her poems, she even described Shiva as her paramount. Akka Mahadevi was the very first devotee who claimed that illicit love towards God was greater than most lawful wedded life on this earth. In the later centuries, Vaishnava movement of Bengal gave great importance to this concept. The culmination point came when Akka’s husband tried to force himself on her as matter of right as a husband. It is also mentioned that her wrathful husband demanded from her the return of all her jewels and dresses which he gave to her, she returned them to him including the clothes she was wearing. Immediately, she left home and became a wanderer.

This poem is a reflection of her physical and mental conditions all through her life. She discarded her clothes and covered herself only with long tresses. Akka Mahadevi created a revolution, first, by refusing to live a normal married life with a husband and second, roaming around in the streets naked, singing devotional songs in the name of Lord Shiva. Her poems were called ‘Vachanas’.

Her poetry exhibits her love for Chenna Mallikarjuna and harmony with nature and simple living.

She Sang:
For hunger, there is the village rice in the begging bowl,
For thirst, there are tanks and streams and wells
For sleep temple ruins do well
For the company of the soul l have you, Chenna Mallikarjuna

In the latter part of her life, she reached the congregation of the renowned devotees of Lord Shiva or Veera Shaiva Allama and Basavanna. She was tested by Allama, who had to bow down to her unflagging devotion and highly intellectual spiritually. She was then accepted by the Veera Shaivas. She later wandered off to Sri Sailam where she merged with the Lord she loved and worshipped so much. She lived for not more than thirty years.

Akka Mahadevi’s contribution to both the spiritual and cultural facets of society is remarkable. She is the fore-runner of frenzied Bhakti movement. She anticipated the Bhakti movement, that would pervade the whole country a few centuries later, by her concept of complete, unconditional devotion to God, to the extent of accepting him as her husband and life long companion. She also paved the way for an independent, thinking woman by announcing that she would live her life as she chose and not according to the tradition of the man made society. Her poetry is rich in content and form, with its sincerity and simplicity and continues to enchant all types of readers.