Mira Bai was born in 1450, Kudai India and died 1547,
Dwarika, Gujarat, India. Hindu mystic and poet whose lyrical songs of devotion
to the god Krishna is widely popular in northern India.
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| Meera Bai Photos |
Mira Bai was a Rajput princess, the only child of Rattan
Singh, younger brother of the ruler of Merta. Her royal education included
music and religion as well as instruction in politics and government. An image
of Krishna given her during childhood by a holy man began a lifetime of
devotion to Krishna, whom she worshiped as her Divine lover.
Mira Bai was married in 1516 to Bhoj Raj, crown prince of
Mewar. Her husband died in 1521,
probably of battle wounds, and thereafter she was the victim of much
persecution and intrigue at the hands of her brother-in-law, Ratan Singh, when
he ascended the throne, and by his successor, Vikram Singh, Mira Bai was something
of a rebel, and her religious pursuits did not fit the established patters for
a Rajput princess and widow.
She spent most of her days in her private temple
dedicated to Krishna, receiving sadhus (holy men) and pilgrims from all over
India and composing songs of devotion. At least two attempts made on her life
are alluded to in her poems. Once a poisonous snake was sent to her in a basket
of flowers, but when she opened it, she found an image of Krishna; on another
occasion she was given a cup of poison but drank it without harm.
Finally, Mira Bai left Mewar and returned to Merta , but
finding that her unconventional behavior was not acceptable there either , she
set out on a series of pilgrimages , eventually settling in Dwarka.
In 1546 Udai Singh, who had succeeded Vikram Singh as
rana , sent a delegation of Brahmans to bring her back to Mewar . Reluctant,
she asked permission to - spend the night at the temple of Ranchorji (Krishna)
and the next morning was found to have disappeared.
According to popular belief,
she miraculously merged with the image of Ranchorji , but whether she actually
died that night or slipped away to spend the rest of her years wandering in
disguise is not known .
Mira Bai belonged to a strong tradition of Bhakti (
devotional ) poets in medieval India who expressed their love of God through
the analogy of human relations - a mother ' s love for her child , a friend for
a friend , or a woman for her beloved . The immense popularity and charm of her
lyrics lies in their use of everyday images and in the sweetness of emotions
easily understood by the common people of India.
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