The earliest authentic testimonies of the Mahima Dharma ("the Dharma of Glory")
movement--which originated during the 19th century as an autochthonous reform
movement, emerging out of the nirguna bhakti tradition of India--are included in
this volume. The impressive compositions of Bhima Bhoi, a lay guru who fought
against social evils such as caste and ritualized piety and initiated women into
his community, paint a picture of one of the most fascinating living religious
traditions of Orissa.