ShringaraIntermediate
बंसीवारा आज्यो म्हारे देस, सांवरी सुरत वारी बेस
Bansivara Ajyo Mhare Des, Sanvari Surat Vari Bes
Mirabai5 verses · ~1 min
बंसीवारा आज्यो म्हारे देस। सांवरी सुरत वारी बेस॥
आऊं-आऊं कर गया जी कर गया कौल अनेक। गिणता-गिणता घस ग म्हारी आंगलिया री रेख॥
मैं बैरागिण आदिकी जी थांरे म्हारे कदको सनेस। बिन पाणी बिन साबुण जी होय ग धोय सफेद॥
जोगण होय जंगल सब हेरूं छोड़ा ना कुछ सैस। तेरी सुरत के कारणे जी म्हे धर लिया भगवां भेस॥
मोर-मुकुट पीताम्बर सोहै घूंघरवाला केस। मीरा के प्रभु गिरधर मिलियां दूनो बढ़ै सनेस॥
इति
The Poet
मीराबाई
Mirabai
1498 · 1546
In the vast tradition of Indian devotional literature, Mirabai stands as an absolute force of fearless independence. Born around 1498 into a royal Rajput family in Rajasthan, she rejected every expectation placed upon a woman of her aristocratic stature. Following the death of her husband, she refused to commit Sati, refused to mourn according to courtly protocol, and instead declared herself eternally married to Lord Krishna. Her entire life became an act of spiritual rebellion against feudal patriarchy. She left the palace, mingled with the lower castes, accepted the leather-worker Ravidas as her guru, and composed ecstatic, deeply personal poetry (bhajans) that mapped the fierce agony and joy of divine love. According to enduring historical memory, she survived multiple assassination attempts by her furious in-laws before leaving Mewar entirely. Five centuries later, her voice remains universally alive. Her songs are sung in temples, villages, and classical concerts across the subcontinent. She did not merely write Bhakti poetry; she weaponized devotion to achieve total personal liberation.
Paired Painting
A Woman Playing a Tanpura
In the late eighteenth century, as the imperial center of Delhi faded, the flourishing court of Awadh in Lucknow emerged as a glorious sanctuary for artists, poets, and virtuoso musicians. This poignant painting evokes the soul of that golden era, capturing a refined female musician in a state of quiet contemplation. Her delicate fingers rest upon the wooden neck and green body of a tanpura, a drone instrument whose resonance grounds the intricate melodies of Indian classical music. Adorned in a vibrant saffron turban strung with pearls and precious rubies, she embodies the sophisticated aesthetic of courtly performers who were respected custodians of musical heritage. Her downcast, soul-searching eyes reveal that music for her is not merely performance, but a sacred pilgrimage of the spirit.
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