By Nandini Kapadia
Not many may be aware that Mirabai Jayanti is celebrated every year around this time to commemorate the birth of the most celebrated female mystic who was also a phenomenal poetess. Every child in India has grown up hearing about Mirabai’s turbulent life which was a testament to her unflinching devotion to Lord Krishna. Her bhajans have endured the test of time and are even more popular today than before. Although there is no historical record of Mirabai’s birth, as per Hindu lunar calendar, the day of Sharad Purnima which falls in the month of Ashwin (October-November period), is observed as her birth anniversary. This year, it was on October 28, which also saw a partial lunar eclipse.
Call it a coincidence or serendipity but the last days of October saw me zigzagging across Rajasthan visiting places associated with this famed Bhakti saint. And, lo, on the auspicious day of October 28, I was standing in front of Mirabai’s statue inside Chaturbhuj Nath and Mirabai Temple in Merta City, Rajasthan. I silently offered her my heartfelt thanks for fulfilling my desire to come here.
Mirabai was born in a small village called Kudki in Rajasthan in the year 1498. But it was in the nearby Merta where Princess Mira spent her childhood, mostly under the care of her grandfather Rao Dudaji, a valiant Rajput ruler. It is located about sixty kilometres from the sacred town of Pushkar. Her grandfather had built this temple in the heart of the city where Mira used to worship Krishna in the form of the four-armed Vishnu before her marriage. After her death, a statue of Mirabai was added. Interestingly, the idols of Mirabai and Lord Krishna are placed in such a way that their eyes are fixed on each other. It is said, the sculptor who chiseled it did not partake of food until its completion.
The temple was cool and peaceful, replete with colourful murals and paintings of Mira and Krishna. As I gazed at the beatific expression on Mirabai’s face, a verse from the Sanskrit hymn Vishnu Sahasranama (Thousand Names of Vishnu), came to mind: The heart of one who has taken refuge in Vasudeva, who is wholly devoted to Vasudeva, gets entirely purified and attains Brahman, the Eternal. Through the ages, only a handful of saints completely surrendered themselves to the divine and attained moksha or salvation. Of these, women saints are even fewer; they can be counted on the fingertips. Without a doubt, Mirabai is foremost amongst such venerated female devotees of God. Her self-surrender to Krishna was so absolute that every pore in her body reverberated with the name Krishna, Krishna, Krishna. Nay, her very being throbbed with Krishna Consciousness.
Adjacent to the temple is Meera Mahal, a little-known gem of a museum dedicated to the Bhakti Queen. It was a real treat to see the life and times of the mystic depicted in the form of paintings, sculptures and clay tablets spread across different rooms. Along with a life-size murti in the middle, folios from manuscripts in large format tell stories of her life. A separate gallery exhibits Mira’s poetry while showcasing some of her couplets. Notably, many portraits by well-known artist Kanu Desai are also displayed. It was a thrilling show of Mira’s unbridled love and devotion towards her sweet Lord.
Before coming to Merta, I insisted on visiting Chittorgarh, Mira’s sasural. At seventeen, she was married off to Bhoj Raj, eldest son of the legendary Rana Sangram Singh or Rana Sanga of the powerful Sisodia dynasty, the ruler of Mewar. At the time, their seat of power was in Chittorgarh where Mira’s status rose ten-fold but she was completely indifferent to such things. Here she proved that her love for Giridhar Gopal was total and uncompromising. Rebelliously, she cast off her poise, honour, respect, and etiquette, her whole identity, for the charming, blue-hued cowherd. In complete disregard of her royal position and customs, she sang bhajans and danced ecstatically in public places and temples, even after she was widowed. (Pag ghunguroo bandh Mira nachi re…) She was harassed endlessly by her in-laws for blackening their name, forcing her to leave. (Dukh lakhon sahe, mukh se Govind kahe). After many years of pilgrimage, she eventually settled in Dwarka where she merged in the idol of Dwarkadheesh.
My main reason for coming to Chittorgarh was to see Mira’s Kumbha Shyam Temple. At her request, Rana Sanga had this small but intricately-carved temple built for Mira’s personal use. Chittorgarh is a magnificent, sprawling fort spread over nearly seven hundred acres. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it includes four palaces, nineteen main temples, several memorials and victory towers. It was in this shrine that Mira Rani spent most of the time with her Divine Lover. As I was climbing the steps, I heard a young couple behind me discussing in Hindi. Man: What temple is this? Woman: I think this is Mirabai temple. Man: Oh, there are so many temples here, do we have to go inside? Woman: No, it is not necessary. Let’s go and sit under the shade for some time. And they walked away hand in hand.
Happily, I paid obeisance to this epitome of female spirituality, to her deity and her guru Ravidas whose charan padukas are kept outside under a chhatri. They say, real saints, such as Mirabai, who may have left their bodies a long time ago, have a way of connecting with those still living who have been touched by them. To a seeker like me, their complete surrender or atma nivedan to the highest principle which goes by different names and forms continues to offer inspiration, guidance and a roadmap on how to conduct your life.
(The writer is the author of ‘India’s Spiritual Heroines’)
