KABIR AND THE KABIRPANTH DURING THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

The religious community known as „Kabirpanth", formed after the name of Kabir, seems to be striking its organizational roots in the years following Kabir"s Samadhi (death), but it was probably not well known by this name till his death. All the available textual evidences and oral tradition indicate that despite Kabir"s widespread popularity both in royal and popoular circles, scribes of the time do not refer to this word Kabirpanth (the path of Kabir) in their texts. Yet we have evidences to believe that certain places where Kabir himself had either visited or were invited as a jinda pir or a living guru, most of these places, saw the emergence of centres of devotion, involving active support of Kabir followers in all possible manners- financially, physically and religiously. These centres gradually grew into the congregational points and came to form a group of distinct religious panth called Kabirpanth in coming centuries. Kabir is said to have died in early sixteenth century.There seems to be consensus both among academic scholars and the sectarian believers on the year of Kabir"s death at Magahar in 1518.