Meera Bai Jayanti 2017

Meerabai is regarded as an incarnation of Radha. She was born in Samvat 1557 or 1499 A.D. in the village Kurkhi, near Merta, a small state in Marwar, Rajasthan. Meerabai was the daughter of Ratan Singh Ranthor and the grand-daughter of Dudaji of Merta. The Ranthors of Merta were great devotees of Vishnu. Meerabai was brought up amidst Vaishnava influence, which molded her life in the path of devotion towards Lord Krishna. She learnt to worship Sri Krishna from her childhood. When she was four years of age, she manifested religious tendencies. Once there was a marriage procession in front of her residence. The bridegroom was nicely dressed. Meerabai, who was only a child, saw the bridegroom and said to her mother innocently, “Dear mother, who is my bridegroom?” Mirabai’s mother smiled, and half in jest and half in earnest, pointed towards the image of Sri Krishna and said, “My dear Meerabai, Lord Krishna—this beautiful image—is your bridegroom”. She was one of the significant Sants of the Vaishnava Bhakti movement. Some 1300 poems written in passionate praise of Lord Krishna are credited to her.

Meera was a Rajput princess born about 1498 in Kudaki, Rajasthan. She was married to Bhoj Raj, the ruler of Chittor. She took no interest in her spouse as she believed herself to be married to Lord Krishna. According to popular belief, she miraculously merged with the image of Krishna in circa 1547 at the age of 49.

Historians believe that Meerabai was a disciple of Guru Ravidas and accept popular beliefs which associate her with Sant Tulsidas and her interactions with Rupa Goswami in Vrindavan.