Life & Legacy
Tukaram was a 17th-century poet-saint of Maharashtra and one of the most beloved figures of the Varkari devotional tradition, centered on the worship of Vitthal (Vithoba) — a form of Krishna — at Pandharpur. Born into a humble merchant family, he poured his devotion into abhangs: short, direct devotional songs in the Marathi vernacular that speak of longing, surrender, and the saving power of the divine name.
Thousands of his abhangs survive and are sung to this day, especially by the vast pilgrim processions (the wari) that walk to Pandharpur singing the names of God. Tukaram's plainspoken, heartfelt poetry made devotion accessible to all, regardless of caste or learning, and stands among the great regional flowerings of the Bhakti movement's song-centered spirituality.