The poet and saint Kabir Das was born in Kashi / Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh sometime in the middle of the 15th century. The specifics of Kabir’s life are obscured by mystery. Various viewpoints, conflicting evidence, and numerous legends surround his life. There aren’t many sources that even discuss his life.

Kabir allegedly had a miraculous conception. His mother was a devoted Brahmin widow who had traveled with her father to visit a well-known ascetic. The ascetic gave her a blessing and predicted she would give birth to a son soon after being moved by their devotion. Kabir’s mother abandoned him after the son was born in order to avoid embarrassment. Nima, the Muslim weaver’s wife, took in young Kabir as her own.

In a different version of the story, the ascetic promised the mother that the birth would take place in an unusual way, and sure enough, Kabir was born from his mother’s palm! The same Nima later adopted him in this version of the narrative as well.

‘Kabir’ was an unusual name. According to legend, a Qazi repeatedly opened the Quran to look for a name for the child and each time came up with Kabir, which means “Great” and is used for none other than God, Himself.

Kabir never pursued formal education. He didn’t even have any weaving training. Despite the abundance of metaphors in his poems, this was not his chosen career. He was on a spiritual quest to find the Truth, and his poetry is a potent demonstration of this.

He desired to become the disciple of Ramananda, a well-known saint in Varanasi, in order to fulfill his spiritual appetite. Kabir believed that his initiation would come as soon as he discovered his teacher’s secret mantra. In Varanasi, Saint Ramananda frequently went to a particular ghat. Kabir lay down on the ghat stairs when he saw him coming and was struck by Ramananda, who gasped the word “Ram” in shock. Kabir discovered the mantra, and the saint later accepted him as one of his disciples.

In Varanasi, there is a neighborhood known as Kabir Chaura, which is thought to be where he was raised. Subsequently, Kabir married Loi, and the two of them had two children: Kamal, a son, and Kamali, a daughter. According to some sources, he either wed twice or never at all. Although we do not have the luxury of knowing these details about his life, we do have some understanding of the philosophy he expressed in his poems.

Kabir appears to have been greatly influenced by both Islamic monism and Upanishadic non-dualism. He also took direction from the Vaishnava Bhakti tradition, which emphasized total surrender to God.

He did not recognize caste-based distinctions. Beyond caste, Kabir opposed idolatry and criticized both Muslims and Hindus for their pointless rites, rituals, and customs. He preached that the way to God is through total devotion.

His poetry and spiritual experience are inseparable. He wasn’t a conscious poet, in actuality. His poetry reflected his spiritual journey, his ecstasy, and his agony. By all means, Kabir is an unusual poet.

He decided to write in a regional, colloquial language during the 15th century, when Persian and Sanskrit were the two most widely spoken languages in North India. His poetry is composed in a variety of languages, including Marwari, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Urdu, and Khari Boli.

Although little is known about Kabir’s life, his verses have persisted. He is recognized for and through his poetry. A testament to the poetry’s greatness is a common man’s poems that have endured for centuries.

Kabir’s poetry is still well-known today, despite having only been passed down orally because of its straightforward language and the depth of spiritual thought and experience it contains. His poems were preserved in writing for many years after his passing. He wrote longer, musically scored pads (songs) and two-lined dohas (couplets). Kabir’s poems are written in straightforward language, but despite the use of intricate symbolism throughout, they are challenging to understand.

Many people and groups were spiritually influenced by Kabir’s teachings. Some of the spiritual leaders who have cited Kabir Das in their teachings include Guru Nanak ji, Dadu of Ahmedabad, who founded the Dadu Panth, and Jiwan Das of Awadh, who founded the Satnami sect.

The majority of his followers are members of the Kabir Panth also known as “the Path of Kabir”, who looks up to him as a guru who can lead them to salvation. Rather than being a specific religion, Kabir Panth is a spiritual philosophy.

Kabir traveled a lot. He had a long life. His body had gotten so weak, according to sources, that he was unable to continue playing music in Ram’s honor. He had traveled to the city of Maghar in Uttar Pradesh in his final moments.

According to a legend, after his passing, a dispute arose between Hindus and Muslims over whether to bury or cremate the body. Flowers miraculously materialized beneath his shroud, half of which were interred at Maghar and cremated at Kashi. There is no doubt that Kabir Das passed away in Maghar, where his grave is.