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Kabir (1440 – 1518)

Kabir was a mystic poet of India influenced by Shaivite Hinduism, Tantric Yoga and Sufism. He is generally associated with the Bhakti Movement—a movement of religious and cultural reformation. The date and place of his birth are shrouded in mystery, as are the many circumstances of his life. His songs, couplets and verses were composed in a local dialect and widely sung during his time. Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the first Sikh Guru, compiled and edited more than five hundred verses of Kabir and included them in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs.

Kabir was a weaver and hence metaphors related to weaving are abundant in his verses. In his songs he criticised both Hindu and Muslim orthodoxies and beliefs. He never wanted to be called a saint, but a saint he was made, with both Hindus and Muslims laying claim to his life and teachings.

The monologue begins a few months before his death.