Chronology xxxi Jc. 1400
¶ Birth of Kabir, Vaishnavite reformer who has
both Muslim and Hindu followers. His Hindi
songs remain immensely popular to the pres-
ent day.1450
¶ Birth of Mirabai (1450–1547), Vaishnavite
Rajput princess-saint devoted to Lord Krishna.1469
¶ Birth of Guru Nanak (1469–1539), founder
of Sikhism, a faith that rejects caste and
renunciation.1473
¶ Birth of Vallabhacharya (1473–1531), a saint
who teaches pushtimarga, “path of grace.”1486
¶ Birth of Chaitanya (1486–1533), Bengali
founder of popular Vaishnavite sect that pro-
claims Krishna as Supreme God and emphasizes
group chanting and dancing.c. 1500
¶ Shaivite Hindu princes resettle on Bali and con-
struct a separate kingdom.1526
¶ Muslim conqueror Babur (1483–1530) occupies
Delhi and founds the Indian Mughal Empire
(1526–1761).1532
¶ Birth of monk-poet Tulsidas (1532–1623),
author of Ramcharitmanasa (1574–77) (based
on Ramayana), which advances worship of
Rama.1556
¶ Akbar (1542–1605), grandson of Babur, becomes
third Mughal emperor, promoting religious tol-
erance.1595
¶ Construction begins on Hall of a Thousand Pil-
lars at famous Shaivite temple in Chidambaram
and is completed in 1685.1600
¶ Royal charter forms the East India Company, set-
ting in motion a process that ultimately results in
the subjugation of India under British rule.
¶ Birth of Surdas (c. 1600), sightless Hindi bard
of Agra, whose hymns to Krishna are collected
in the Sursagar.1603
¶ Guru Arjun compiles Adi Granth,^ Sikh scrip-
ture.1605
¶ Akbar’s son Jehangir succeeds his father as
fourth Mughal emperor.
¶ Sikh Golden Temple at Amritsar, Punjab, is fin-
ished; later covered with gold leaf.1608
¶ Birth of Tukaram (1608–1649), saint famed
for his poems to Krishna. Considered greatest
Marathi spiritual composer.1647
¶ Shah Jehan completes Taj Mahal in Agra on the
Yamuna River.1658
¶ Zealous Muslim Aurangzeb (1618–1707)
becomes Mughal emperor.i-xL-hindu-fm.indd xxxi 12/14/06 1:02:39 AM