I am updating the "Great Saints & Scholars List", today's addition is our great Saint "Tukaram", a 17th century poet and saint (1608-1649). Born and raised in a tiny village in the state of Maharastra was raised to the greatest of saints from a poorest family (one of the victims of the hindu's caste system), despite all the odds of those days, he shattered the Brahmins myths and iron wall and became a saint revered by Maharastrians then and today. GSS&H is only deals with the scholarly aspects of this saint, not pandering over his "cult Bhakti" and god worshipping phenomenon of his time. Though these yester year saints would have choosen other means to make changes in societies, it probably would not have made any sense at that time, when just speaking out aginst hindu varnashrama would have made them killed by the hindu terrorists, so they might have wisely choosen "In the Name of God" pathway, but would have completely involved in what they were doing. Neverthless, it is their great talents and power over the ordinary, mundane people that make them saints, not the godly worshiping or craps like that. Many of the listed saints here took that path as the hindu's were barbarians and kill at sight if any lower caste people trying to come up, but the god worshiping pathway probably saved all these saints, but eventually Tukaram was got killed, Nandanar was god killed by Brahmins and the list goes on and on.....!
During his 41 years, Tukaram composed over 5,000 abhangs. Many of them speak of events in his life, which make them somewhat autobiographical. Yet, they are focused on God, Pandurang, and not Tukaram. His abhangs became very popular with the masses of common people. It was this very popularity that caused the religious establishment (the high caste Brahmins) to hate and persecute Tukaram. as, he was causing them to lose their power over the people. There are many miracles attributed to Tukaram. ..
Niralaji writes about 