Birth Anniversary Celebration of Sant Meerabai

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the 525th birth anniversary celebration of Sant Meerabai in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

About Sant Meerabai (1498-1546)

Sant Meerabai was a prominent saint poet associated with the Bhakti movement.
She was a Saguna Bhakt with profound devotion to Lord Krishna, whom she considered her husband.
Born to Rajput King Ratan Singh in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. She married Bhoj Raj, the son of Rana Sanga and prince of Mewar, in 1516. He passed away in 1521.
She chose not to participate in the royal household and instead moved to Brindavan to deepen her devotion. Meerabai is believed to have spent her final years in Dwarka.
She composed her poems in the Rajasthani dialect of Hindi and Braj. Some of her most famous compositions include “Mere to giridhar gopal” and “Paayoji maine Ram Ratan dhan paayo.”
Her poems have been translated into English by poets like Robert Bly and Jane Hirshfield in the book ‘Meerabai: Ecstatic Poems.’
Meerabai was a disciple of Saint Ravidas, who hailed from a caste considered “untouchable.”
Her religious pursuits challenged societal norms for princesses and widows, making her a social reformer.

Bhakti Movement

· Bhakti means personal devotion to God.

· The Bhakti movement emphasized attaining God through devotion (bhakti) rather than rigid rules or societal structures.

· In North India, the Bhakti movement occurred between 1300 and 1550 A.D.

· The movement can be classified into two categories: saguna (with attributes) and nirguna (without attributes) bhakti.

· Prominent saints of the Bhakti movement include Guru Nanak, Tulsidas, Kabirdas, Ravidas, and Surdas, among others.

AMIGOS IAS