Mahima Goisain was the founder of Mahima sect which was started as protest movement against caste in eastern Odisha. But Bhima Bhoi was the leader who led a revolutionized Mahima Dharma across and beyond Odisha. This movement was spread beyond Odisha, places such as Bengal, Chhatisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and other places.
Bhima Bhoi is the first social revolutionary of Modern Odisha. He was a radical promoter of anti-caste, anti-Brahmin ideology and led a revolutionary poetic Movement. Bhima Bhoi’s radicalism was against Veda (Vedic Sastra and its practice) and he spread it as NIRVEDA. He is the pioneer of the NIRVEDA philosophy.
Bhima Bhoi was the first one in modern Odisha history , who advocated the emancipation of women , and when other fellow baba/sanyasi of Joranda Gadi rejects the presence of women in the temple, Bhima Bhoi challenged this and left Joranda for ever and opened his Aashram /Mathas for women at Khaliapali ,Sonepur.
Bhima Bhoi questioned Hierarchies, Kings, Brahmin and the role of Women within Oriya Society.
He rejects the ritual use of the Tulsi plant and also opposed any kind of idol worship. He had been imprisoned various times for his radicalism against caste and Brahmin domination.
Bhima Bhoi refused to accept food from the house of Brahmins, Kings, merchants (twice-born) and also clearly opposed Shraddha system (Death Ceremony).
Bhima Bhoi was not a Blind person; it seems it was a deliberate propaganda (false-promotion) used by Hindu-Brahmin to subverts his radical philosophy and teaching. There is no such evidence available about his being blind, nor have any authentic source of information.
Bhima Bhoi was from Kandha community worked for whole humanity. He grew up as a cowherd, reared cattle and spent his days in the forest composing songs.
The most radical and revolutionary event happened in March 1881, when Bhima Bhoi, along with his many followers from western Odisha, went to Puri and try to remove and burn the idols of “Jagannath, Bhalabhadra and Subhadra.” Due to the ongoing Brahmanisation and Hinduisation of the Bhima Bhoi Movement, this event has been eliminated from the collective memory of the community.
Bhima Bhoi was so radical and revolutionary that he voluntarily separated from Joranda and its orthodox monastic order. The conflict on women emancipation issue gave rise to two separate groups in Mahima dharma.
The sect in Dhenkanal (Joronda Gadi ) led by Vishvanath Baba gone against Bhima Bhoi’s original works and text. The Dharma led by Visvanath Baba established links between Sanskritic tradition of Hinduism, Vedas, Bhagbatgita & puranas whereas Bhima Bhoi work was based on the equal treatment of women, against casteism, Brahmanism and denied the Vedic Sastras, smrutis and puranas.
Mahima Dharma in Dhenkanal is undoubtedly part of the Hindu mainstream. In fact the two monastic orders stand two different section of society. The Kumpatias spreaded in western odisha mostly originate from marginalized caste, in contrast the follower from Dhenkanal mainly from rich farming class and of high caste.
Stutichintamani, Bhajanamala, Nirveda Sadhana are some of his extraordinary poems and songs, which are itself a real-time revolution in nature.
The death of Bhima Bhoi still revolves around mystery and remained un-answered.
Some terms are being radically used by Bhima Bhoi are “ALEKHA, ARUPA, ANAADI, NIRVEDA, MAHIMA.”
Mahima Religion should be recognized as a distinct religion By government.
Mahima Religion should be recognized as a distinct religion by government