Saint Choka Mela was one of the revered saints during the 14th century. He was born in a Mahare family in Maharashtra. His parents were great devotees of Lord Vittal or Vittoba of Pandlapur.
Choka Mela was not an ordinary Mahar child. He had in him the symptoms of a searching mind and saintliness. Being born in an untouchable family, he was deprived of formal schooling. He had to do all kinds of traditional and lowly jobs like carrying dead animals, etc. in the village. But all these hardships did not deter him in chartering his own course of life based on piety, love and equality.
He wanted his people to listen to religious discourses and songs, in order to change their attitudes and habits. He protested against animal sacrifices in pooja. He said that one’s temple is in his own body and that is the route to God’s realisaton. The precise date of his death is not known.