Bibi Nachiyar

A Rare and Exemplary Devotee

Abstract

This article examines the enduring legend and deification of Bibi Nachiyar, a Muslim princess, within Śrīvaiṣṇava temple traditions, particularly at Melkote, Shrirangam, and Tirupati. Despite often being overlooked in academic biographies of Ramanuja, her story, where she is said to have become one with the deity Cheluva Narayana (or Ramapriya) due to intense viraha bhakti (love-in-separation), signifies more than a mere footnote or a fabricated myth for communal harmony. The author argues that Bibi Nachiyar represents a rare and exemplary devotee whose unwavering bhakti, characterized by childlike innocence maturing into spousal love (madhura bhāva), transcended conventional boundaries of religion, caste, and gender. Her continued veneration, evident in dedicated shrines, rituals, and the adaptation of deity offerings to reflect her Muslim identity, highlights a profound acceptance of religious difference and the power of pure devotion in Hindu epistemology. The article advocates for a phenomenological understanding of her legend, emphasizing its function in demonstrating that sincere devotion alone is sufficient for divine union, irrespective of societal norms or traditional purity requirements.