Sri Janabai

Janabai was a 13th-century Marathi saint and devotional poet from Maharashtra, India, who rose from a humble background to become one of the most revered figures in the Varkari tradition. Born into a lower-caste family, she spent much of her life working as a maidservant in the household of the saint Namdev’s family in Pandharpur, a major center of devotion to Lord Vitthal. Despite having no formal education, Janabai developed a deep spiritual connection with Vitthal from an early age and expressed her devotion through powerful abhangs (devotional poems). She is believed to have composed hundreds of abhangs that reflect intense devotion and emotional intimacy with Vitthal, making her an important voice in Bhakti literature.