Goswami Tulsidas (1532-1623)

Why in discussion? The 500th birth anniversary of Goswami Tulsidas ji was celebrated in Chitrakoot.
Introduction : Goswami Tulsidas was a prominent poet of the Saguna stream of the Bhakti period of Hindi literature. He is considered the greatest poet of the Ram Bhakti branch. He is also said to be an incarnation of the sage Valmiki.
Birth and Life : He was born in Samvat 1589 (1532 AD) in Rajapur village (Chitrakoot district), Uttar Pradesh. His father’s name was Atmaram Dubey and his mother’s name was Hulsi. His childhood name was Rambola. His wife’s name was Ratnavali, whose satire inspired him to renounce worldly desires and devote himself to the devotion of Lord Rama. His guru was Narharidas.
Literary Contribution : His most famous and greatest work is the ‘Ramcharitmanas’. It is an epic poem written in the Awadhi language that describes the life of Lord Rama. This text brought the story of Rama to the masses and had a profound influence on Indian culture.
The ‘Ramcharitmanas’ is listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Register. Other major works include the Vinay Patrika, Kavitavali, Geetavali, Dohavali, and Hanuman Chalisa.