Topic 11: Religious Beliefs, Saints & Folk

Q: Explain the concept of 'Rina' in Indian tradition.

**Rina** (ऋण) in Indian tradition refers to innate obligations every human is born with toward gods, sages, and ancestors. Three primary rinas: Dev Rina (discharged by yajna), Rishi Rina (by scripture study and teaching), and Pitru Rina (by performing shraddha/pinda-dana). Some texts add a fourth — Manushya Rina toward fellow humans, discharged through hospitality.

Study Material

Paper Paper I

Unit 1

1. Panchpirs (पंचपीर) are the five principal Lok Devtas of Rajasthan: Pabuji, Gogaji, Ramdevji, Tejaji, and Harbhuji — each worshipped through oral epic traditions called phad paintings (फड़ चित्रकला) recited by Bhopa-Bhopi (भोपा-भोपी) folk priests.
2. Ramdev Pir (रामदेव पीर
3. Dadu Dayal (दादू दयाल, 1544–1603 CE), founder of the Dadu Panth (दादू पंथ), was born in Ahmedabad; settled at Narayana (Nagaur district), Rajasthan; his 5,000-verse composition "Dadu Vani" (दादू वाणी) is the foundational text of the sect.
4. Nirguna Bhakti (निर्गुण भक्ति) in Rajasthan: Dadu Dayal (Dadu Panth), Rajjab (Rajjabi sect), Sundardas (Sundardas tradition) — all rejected idol worship, caste hierarchy, and ritualism, aligning with Kabir's pan-Indian nirguna stream.
5. Meera Bai (मीराबाई, c. 1498–1547 CE), princess of Merta (Nagaur), devotee of Krishna — the pre-eminent Saguna Bhakti (सगुण भक्ति) saint of Rajasthan; composed ~1,300 bhajans in Braj Bhasha, Rajasthani, and Gujarati.
6. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (ख्वाजा मुईनुद्दीन चिश्ती, 1141–1236 CE) established the Chishti Sufi order in Ajmer c. 1193 CE; the Ajmer Dargah (अजमेर दरगाह) is South Asia's most visited Sufi shrine, receiving ~1.5 lakh pilgrims annually during Urs (Rajab 1–6).
7. Six orthodox schools (षड्दर्शन) of Indian Vedic philosophy: Nyaya (न्याय), Vaisheshika (वैशेषिक), Samkhya (सांख्य), Yoga (योग), Mimamsa (मीमांसा), Vedanta (वेदांत) — all accept the authority of the Vedas; Prasthan Trayi (प्रस्थानत्रयी) = Upanishads + Bhagavad Gita + Brahmasutras.
8. Jainism in Rajasthan: Dilwara Temples (दिलवाड़ा मंदिर, Mount Abu, 11th–13th centuries CE) and Ranakpur Temple (रणकपुर, Pali district, 15th century CE) are the two premier Jain pilgrimage sites; Rajasthan has the highest Jain population share (~1.2%) of any Indian state.
9. Charandasi Sect (चरणदासी पंथ): founded by Charan Das (चरण दास, 1703–1782 CE) of Dehra village (Alwar); two prominent female saints — Sahajo Bai (सहजो बाई) and Daya Bai (दया बाई) — composed devotional literature in Hindi. RPSC Mains 2024 directly asked about these two women saints.
10. Karni Mata (करणी माता) of Deshnok (Bikaner) — tutelary deity of Rajputs, especially Charans; her temple is famous for sacred rats (kaba/kabas — काबा/काबास); associated with the Bikaner royal family and Rao Bika's (1488 CE) establishment of Bikaner state.
11. Gogaji (गोगाजी, c. 900 CE) of Dadreva (Churu district) — snake deity (नागदेवता); worshipped by both Hindus and Muslims as "Zahir Pir"; Gogamedi fair (Bhadrapada Shukla 9) is a major pilgrimage in Hanumangarh district.
12. Suhrawardi Sufi Silsilah (सुहरावर्दी सूफी सिलसिला): founded by Shihabuddin Suhrawardi (1145–1234 CE); in Rajasthan, Hamiduddin Nagori (हामिदुद्दीन नागोरी, 1192–1274 CE) was the principal Suhrawardi khanqah; emphasised asceticism and strict sharia compliance.
13. Tejaji (तेजाजी, c. 928–960 CE) of Nagaur — cattle and serpent deity; patron of Jat community; annual fair at Parbatsar (Nagaur, Bhadrapada Shukla 10–Poornima) and Bangad (Ajmer district).
14. Pabuji (पाबूजी, c. 1239–1276 CE) of Kolu (Phalodi, Jodhpur) — camel deity and protector of livestock; worshipped primarily by Rebari (रेबारी) and Nayak (नायक) communities; his epic Pabuji ri Phad (पाबूजी री फड़) is a 15-metre scroll performed all night by Bhopa priests.
15. Ram Navami 2026 national celebrations saw participation from temples across Rajasthan — Jaipur (Govind Dev Ji temple), Nathdwara (Shrinathji temple), and Pushkar — reflecting the intersection of Saguna Vaishnava devotion and state governance in contemporary Rajasthan. / राम नवमी 2026 के राष्ट्रीय उत्सव में राजस्थान के जयपुर (गोविंद देव जी), नाथद्वारा (श्रीनाथजी) और पुष्कर के मंदिरों की सक्रिय भागीदारी रही। ---

Key facts

Dadu Dayal (दादू दयाल, 1544–1603 CE), founder of the Dadu Panth (दादू पंथ), was born in Ahmedabad; settled at Narayana (Nagaur district), Rajasthan;
Meera Bai (मीराबाई, c. 1498–1547 CE), princess of Merta (Nagaur), devotee of Krishna
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (ख्वाजा मुईनुद्दीन चिश्ती, 1141–1236 CE) established the Chishti Sufi order in Ajmer c. 1193 CE;
Jainism in Rajasthan: Dilwara Temples (दिलवाड़ा मंदिर, Mount Abu, 11th–13th centuries CE) and Ranakpur Temple (रणकपुर, Pali district, 15th century CE)…
Charandasi Sect (चरणदासी पंथ): founded by Charan Das (चरण दास, 1703–1782 CE) of Dehra village (Alwar); two prominent female saints

Key Points at a Glance

1
Panchpirs (पंचपीर) are the five principal Lok Devtas of Rajasthan: Pabuji, Gogaji, Ramdevji, Tejaji, and Harbhuji — each worshipped through oral epic traditions called phad paintings (फड़ चित्रकला) recited by Bhopa-Bhopi (भोपा-भोपी) folk priests.
2
Ramdev Pir (रामदेव पीर
3
Dadu Dayal (दादू दयाल, 1544–1603 CE), founder of the Dadu Panth (दादू पंथ), was born in Ahmedabad; settled at Narayana (Nagaur district), Rajasthan; his 5,000-verse composition "Dadu Vani" (दादू वाणी) is the foundational text of the sect.
4
Nirguna Bhakti (निर्गुण भक्ति) in Rajasthan: Dadu Dayal (Dadu Panth), Rajjab (Rajjabi sect), Sundardas (Sundardas tradition) — all rejected idol worship, caste hierarchy, and ritualism, aligning with Kabir's pan-Indian nirguna stream.
5
Meera Bai (मीराबाई, c. 1498–1547 CE), princess of Merta (Nagaur), devotee of Krishna — the pre-eminent Saguna Bhakti (सगुण भक्ति) saint of Rajasthan; composed ~1,300 bhajans in Braj Bhasha, Rajasthani, and Gujarati.
6
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (ख्वाजा मुईनुद्दीन चिश्ती, 1141–1236 CE) established the Chishti Sufi order in Ajmer c. 1193 CE; the Ajmer Dargah (अजमेर दरगाह) is South Asia's most visited Sufi shrine, receiving ~1.5 lakh pilgrims annually during Urs (Rajab 1–6).
7
Six orthodox schools (षड्दर्शन) of Indian Vedic philosophy: Nyaya (न्याय), Vaisheshika (वैशेषिक), Samkhya (सांख्य), Yoga (योग), Mimamsa (मीमांसा), Vedanta (वेदांत) — all accept the authority of the Vedas; Prasthan Trayi (प्रस्थानत्रयी) = Upanishads + Bhagavad Gita + Brahmasutras.
8
Jainism in Rajasthan: Dilwara Temples (दिलवाड़ा मंदिर, Mount Abu, 11th–13th centuries CE) and Ranakpur Temple (रणकपुर, Pali district, 15th century CE) are the two premier Jain pilgrimage sites; Rajasthan has the highest Jain population share (~1.2%) of any Indian state.
9
Charandasi Sect (चरणदासी पंथ): founded by Charan Das (चरण दास, 1703–1782 CE) of Dehra village (Alwar); two prominent female saints — Sahajo Bai (सहजो बाई) and Daya Bai (दया बाई) — composed devotional literature in Hindi. RPSC Mains 2024 directly asked about these two women saints.
10
Karni Mata (करणी माता) of Deshnok (Bikaner) — tutelary deity of Rajputs, especially Charans; her temple is famous for sacred rats (kaba/kabas — काबा/काबास); associated with the Bikaner royal family and Rao Bika's (1488 CE) establishment of Bikaner state.
11
Gogaji (गोगाजी, c. 900 CE) of Dadreva (Churu district) — snake deity (नागदेवता); worshipped by both Hindus and Muslims as "Zahir Pir"; Gogamedi fair (Bhadrapada Shukla 9) is a major pilgrimage in Hanumangarh district.
12
Suhrawardi Sufi Silsilah (सुहरावर्दी सूफी सिलसिला): founded by Shihabuddin Suhrawardi (1145–1234 CE); in Rajasthan, Hamiduddin Nagori (हामिदुद्दीन नागोरी, 1192–1274 CE) was the principal Suhrawardi khanqah; emphasised asceticism and strict sharia compliance.
13
Tejaji (तेजाजी, c. 928–960 CE) of Nagaur — cattle and serpent deity; patron of Jat community; annual fair at Parbatsar (Nagaur, Bhadrapada Shukla 10–Poornima) and Bangad (Ajmer district).
14
Pabuji (पाबूजी, c. 1239–1276 CE) of Kolu (Phalodi, Jodhpur) — camel deity and protector of livestock; worshipped primarily by Rebari (रेबारी) and Nayak (नायक) communities; his epic Pabuji ri Phad (पाबूजी री फड़) is a 15-metre scroll performed all night by Bhopa priests.
15
Ram Navami 2026 national celebrations saw participation from temples across Rajasthan — Jaipur (Govind Dev Ji temple), Nathdwara (Shrinathji temple), and Pushkar — reflecting the intersection of Saguna Vaishnava devotion and state governance in contemporary Rajasthan. / राम नवमी 2026 के राष्ट्रीय उत्सव में राजस्थान के जयपुर (गोविंद देव जी), नाथद्वारा (श्रीनाथजी) और पुष्कर के मंदिरों की सक्रिय भागीदारी रही।

What does RPSC expect under religious beliefs, saints, and folk deities of Rajasthan?

RPSC expects this topic to cover Rajasthan's living religious world through folk deities, saint traditions, sects, philosophical systems, Sufi orders, Jainism, and the social reform ideas attached to them. In the RPSC official syllabus PDF provided for this corpus, Part A on General Knowledge of Rajasthan carries 30 questions and explicitly lists "Religious Life: Religious communities, Saints and Sects in Rajasthan. Folk deities of Rajasthan."

Topic 11 therefore has three distinct layers. First, it covers grassroots folk religion through Lok Devtas and Lok Devis who either predate formal sectarian structures or operate outside a strictly Brahmanical frame. These include Pabuji, Gogaji, Ramdevji, Tejaji, Harbhuji, Karni Mata, Jeen Mata, Kaila Devi, Shila Devi, and Tanot Mata. Their worship is tied to community memory, village protection, livestock, caste inclusion, fairs, and oral epic performance.

Second, it covers the Bhakti-Sant tradition of Rajasthan, especially medieval reformers who challenged caste hierarchy, untouchability, ritualism, and priestly monopoly. Dadu Dayal, Rajjab, Sundardas, Lal Das, Charan Das, Sahajo Bai, Daya Bai, and Meera Bai must be read not only as devotional figures but as social actors. The distinction between Nirguna Bhakti and Saguna Bhakti is central: Dadu and his disciples represent formless devotion, while Meera Bai represents Krishna-centred Saguna devotion.

Third, the topic reaches into pan-Indian religious and philosophical frameworks as they appear in RPSC questions: the six orthodox schools of Vedic philosophy, Prasthan Trayi, the concept of Rina, Nayanar-Alvar Bhakti, Jainism, Sufi silsilahs, Universal Priesthood, Ahmadiyya, and the comparison between 6th century BCE religious movements and the Nirguna Bhakti movement.

Syllabus boundaries: This topic is deliberately broad. The syllabus formulation "religious beliefs, saints, folk deities" allows RPSC to move from concrete Rajasthan personalities to abstract religious ideas. PYQ data shows exactly that movement: Prasthan Trayi, the six orthodox schools, and Rina test philosophical recall; Meera Bai, Dadu Dayal, Charandasi women saints, and Lok Devtas test Rajasthan-specific memory; and Nirguna Bhakti compared with 6th century BCE movements tests analysis.

Adjacent topic boundaries:

Kabir's literary output belongs more naturally to Saint Literature, while Kabir's nirguna influence on Dadu Dayal belongs here.
Nayanar and Alvar saints are South Indian, but RPSC has asked them within this religious-movement cluster.
Jain architecture at Dilwara and Ranakpur can be asked under art and architecture, but Jain doctrines, sects, pilgrimage, and social influence belong here.
Folk fairs and festivals overlap with social life, but the religious meaning of Ramdevra, Gogamedi, Parbatsar, Kaila Devi, and Jeen Mata belongs here.

PYQ emphasis: The topic has produced 10 questions across six exams: 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023, and 2024. RPSC tests it from three angles: factual recall of philosophical terms, Rajasthan-specific saints and sects, and comparative-analytical questions. The 2024 10-mark question on similarities between 6th century BCE movements and Nirguna Bhakti shows that preparation cannot stop at memorising names.

For Mains answer-writing, the safest structure is to connect each figure to a doctrine, a social function, and a Rajasthan location. For example, Ramdevji should be linked to Runicha/Ramdevra, equality, and Hindu-Muslim devotion; Dadu Dayal to Narayana, nirguna bhakti, and anti-caste teaching; Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti to Ajmer, sulh-i-kul, and shared pilgrimage; and Karni Mata to Deshnok, Charan-Rathore memory, and Bikaner state formation.

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PREDICTED Predicted RAS Questions

Based on PYQ trends and 2026 syllabus analysis

1 5M Explain the concept of 'Rina' in Indian tradition. 5 marks · 50 words

Model Answer

Rina (ऋण) in Indian tradition refers to innate obligations every human is born with toward gods, sages, and ancestors. Three primary rinas: Dev Rina (discharged by yajna), Rishi Rina (by scripture study and teaching), and Pitru Rina (by performing shraddha/pinda-dana). Some texts add a fourth — Manushya Rina toward fellow humans, discharged through hospitality.

~50 words • 5 marks