Bhima Bhoi (ଭୀମ ଭୋଇ) was a 19th-century poet-saint of western Odisha and the most celebrated voice of the Mahima Dharma movement. Raised in a poor Kondh (Kandha) adivasi family and without formal schooling, Bhima Bhoi composed devotional songs and philosophical poems in plain Odia, most famously Stuti Chintamani, which carried a message of one formless God and equality across caste.
When was Bhima Bhoi born?
His dates are uncertain. The Odia Virtual Academy says he was "probably born in the 1850s, on a full moon day of Baisakh"; many references give 1850. His death is usually dated to 1895. Sources also differ on his birthplace, with places in the Rairakhol and Sonepur areas mentioned in different accounts.
Early life
According to the account given by the Odia Virtual Academy, Bhima Bhoi was abandoned as an infant and raised by a Kandha couple, Jana Bhoi and Maharagi. He grew up in poverty and worked as a cowherd. Though he did not attend school, he absorbed religious stories, songs and philosophical ideas by listening to recitations.
Whether Bhima Bhoi was blind is debated. Popular tradition remembers him as a blind poet, but the Odia Virtual Academy states that he was not born blind, and other researchers suggest he lost his eyesight, in whole or in part, early in life.
Mahima Gosain and Mahima Dharma
Mahima Dharma is a reformist devotional movement that emerged in Odisha in the 19th century around the ascetic Mahima Gosain (Mahima Swami). It teaches devotion to a single, formless supreme being (Alekha or Mahima), rejects image worship and the authority of caste, and emphasises simple living.
Tradition holds that Mahima Gosain rescued the young Bhima Bhoi from a well and blessed him, after which he began to compose poetry. The Odia Virtual Academy dates the start of his work as a poet-propagator of the faith to 1866. Bhima Bhoi's songs, sung in the language of ordinary villagers, did much to spread Mahima Dharma among the poor and among adivasi and lower-caste communities of western Odisha.
Around 1877, according to the Odia Virtual Academy, he established an ashram at Khaliapali in the former Sonepur state, in present-day Subarnapur district, which became a centre for his followers.
Poetry and message
Bhima Bhoi's compositions are noted for:
- Simple Odia: direct, rhythmic language suited to singing.
- One God: devotion to a formless supreme being rather than to images.
- Social equality: a challenge to caste discrimination and ritual hierarchy.
- Compassion: a recurring wish for the liberation of all beings. He is remembered for the sentiment, often paraphrased in English, that his own life might remain in hell so long as the world is redeemed.
Stuti Chintamani
Stuti Chintamani is his principal work, a long collection of devotional and philosophical hymns, described as having 100 chapters. It stresses devotion and inner experience over book learning.
Legacy and honours
- Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital, Balangir: the medical college in Balangir named after "Santha Kabi Bhima Bhoi" was inaugurated on 31 August 2018, according to Sambad English.
- Research chairs: chairs in his name have been set up at universities in Odisha, including Gangadhar Meher University.
- Living tradition: his bhajans are still sung by followers of Mahima Dharma and in the wider folk devotional culture of western Odisha.
Major works
| Work | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stuti Chintamani | Second half of the 19th century | Principal work; long collection of devotional hymns |
| Brahma Nirupana Gita | Second half of the 19th century | Philosophical poem on the nature of Brahman |
| Ashtaka Bihari Gita | Second half of the 19th century | Devotional composition |
| Bhajans and songs | Second half of the 19th century | Many devotional songs still sung today |
He is said to have composed many more collections, of which only some survive. Exact years of composition are not known.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1850s (1850 often cited) | Born; exact year and place uncertain |
| 1866 | Begins composing as a poet of Mahima Dharma (per the Odia Virtual Academy) |
| c. 1877 | Establishes his ashram at Khaliapali, Sonepur |
| 1895 (usually given) | Dies |
| 31 August 2018 | Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital, Balangir, inaugurated |