Who is Mirabai?
Mirabai (1498-1547) (sometimes also spelled Meera) was a female Hindu mystical poetess whose compositions are popular throughout India. She is said to have been a disciple of Shri Guru Ravidas. She composed between 200 to 1300 prayerful songs called bhajans. They are in the bhakti tradition, and most passionately praised Lord Krishna. The extant version of her poems are in a Rajasthani dialect of Hindi, they are also considered to be in Gujarati. Many of the details of Mira’s life are pieced together from her poetry and the stories later recounted by members of her community. While these details are taken as truth by modern followers of the Bhakti tradition, the historical authenticity of most of her story is the subject of much debate. Meera Bai was born at Merta in Nagaur District of Rajasthan in Rathore clan of Rajputs. When she was six years old, she was given a figurine of Krishna by her mother that she played, sang and always talked with. Her father’s elder brother Viram Deo who
Mirabai is one of the most commemorated women in Indian history. Sometimes known as Meera, she was a sixteenth century songwriter and poet. Many of Mirabai’s songs are still sung today in India and her spirit and rebellious nature have been an inspiration for women in India. Much of the history of Mirabai has been handed down through the generations. At a time when it was not thought right, she was a woman who carved her own path in her world. Mirabai was a devotee of Bhakti, which is a form of Hinduism. Bhakti followers praised their god Krishna through pure love. Many worshipers would give up all their possessions and become wandering teachers or join together and form communities. For Bhakti there is no caste system and there is also no distinction between color and gender. Female worshipers such as Mirabai would give up their husbands and families in order to worship fully. They would live among people from different levels of society who would normally be forbidden in their own so
