Rahmath Tarikere, an academic whose work and acclaimed books on Muharram, Sufism, Nathism, Shaktism, and other local mystic cults of Karnataka form the core of contemporary Kannada literature, is a quintessential change-maker in modern India.

It took me twice the usual effort to convince him that speaking of oneself could inspire others. Then I thought, this Kannada scholar, poet, and thinker’s 30 books and fearless stand against intolerance speak louder than his modesty allows.

He comes across as a silent revolutionary, weaving pluralism into our fractured world.

Rahmat Tarikere was born in the small town of Samatala, Tarikere taluk, Karnataka. His father, a blacksmith, and his mother, an Arabic teacher, raised him in a labour-class neighbourhood where Hindus, Muslims, and others coexisted.

Rahmath Tarikere with Girish Karnad, Banu Mustaq, and Gauri Lankesh at Bababudangiri Hill

This melting pot of faiths, languages, and struggles shaped Tarikere’s worldview. “I grew up on a street where people of all religions lived together,” he recalls, a memory that became the bedrock of his lifelong pursuit of pluralism.

His father’s decision to enrol him in a Kannada-medium school was a turning point, igniting a passion for the language that would lead him to redefine its literary and cultural scope.

From these, there began Tarikere’s journey, grounded in the belief that unity is not imposed but nurtured through shared human experiences.

Rahmath Tarikere lecturing as Visiting Professor at Stanford, 2023

The demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992 shocked Tarikere, then a young scholar of Kannada literature. “I thought, is there any medicine for this religious disease?” he asked himself, questioning whether modern ideologies like rationalism and constitutionalism could fully heal communal divides.

This moment of crisis spurred a profound shift in his research. Turning away from purely academic pursuits, he delved into the living philosophies of Karnataka’s people—Sufism, Nathism, Shaktism, and folk traditions. These were not abstract ideas confined to books but vibrant practices that had united communities for centuries.

Tarikere’s fieldwork took him across Karnataka’s villages, where he listened to bilingual poets who wove tales of Hindu gods like Sita and Rama alongside Islamic figures like Hasan, Hussain, and Fatima. He discovered Moharram in Karnataka as a unique cultural exchange, distinct from other states, where communities transcended religious boundaries through shared rituals, music, and dance.

    Rahmath Tarikere with the Chief of Hazrath Nasiruddin Chisti Dargah, New Delhi. 

This exploration led to his 30 books, including Karnatakada Sufigalu, Nathism of Karnataka,  Shaktism of Karnataka, and Moharram of Karnataka,  which earned him State Sahitya Academy Awards. Kattiyanchina Daari won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2010.

Tarikere’s academic journey was as remarkable as his cultural quest. After earning a B.A. from Sahyadri College in Shimoga, he pursued an M.A. in Kannada literature at Mysore University, securing first rank and seven gold medals.

His PhD and subsequent role as a professor and dean at Kannada University, Hampi, positioned him as a trailblazer in Kannada literary studies.

Rahmath Tarikere discussing Sufism .with Prof. Anna Bigelow at Stanford

However, Tarikere was no ivory-tower academic. He expanded the field beyond traditional frameworks, introducing cultural studies and interfaith discourse to explore Karnataka’s syncretic traditions.

His classroom was a crucible of new ideas, where he mentored a generation of researchers to amplify marginalised voices—those of folk poets, Sufi saints, and Nathpanthi mystics.

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By blending literary criticism with cultural analysis, he showed that Kannada literature was not just a regional artefact but a vibrant tapestry of pluralistic thought.