Sant kanhopatra biography for kids

15th-century Marathi saint-poet of the Hindu Varkari sect

Kanhopatra (or Kanhupatra) was a 15th-century Marathi saint-poet, venerated by the Varkari sect of Hinduism.

Little is known about Kanhopatra.^[1] According to most traditional accounts, Kanhopatra was a courtesan and dancer.^[2] These accounts typically concentrate on her death when she chose to surrender to the Hindu god Vithoba—the patron god of the Varkaris—rather than becoming a concubine of the Badshah (king) of Bidar.

Sant kanhopatra biography for kids

She died in the central shrine of Vithoba in Pandharpur. She is the only person whose samadhi (mausoleum) is within the precincts of the temple.

Kanhopatra wrote Marathiovi and abhanga poetry telling of her devotion to Vithoba and her struggle to balance her piety with her profession.

In her poetry, she implores Vithoba to be her saviour and release her from the clutches of her profession. About thirty of her abhangas have survived, and continue to be sung to