Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Places related to Meera Bai


meera bai
Meera Bai (1498 - 1547) was a devout follower of Lord Krishna. Meera Bai was one of the foremost exponents of the Prema Bhakti (Divine Love) and an inspired poetess.
The story of Meera Bai is not based on historical documents but comes from oral storytelling. Each storyteller embellishes or distorts the story, or puts a different interpretation on it as time passes.
Based on these stories there are many places which are related to Meera Bai. This page is an effort to collect information about few of those places. Any feedback on this pages information is most welcome.

Places related to Meera Bai:
  1. Merta - Charbhuja Ji Temple
  2. Chittorgarh - Fort Of Chittorgarh - Kumbha Palace
  3. Chittorgarh - Kumbha Shyam Temple (Meera Mandir)
  4. Vrindaban - Banke Bihari Temple (Meera Bai Temple)
  5. Dwarka - Jagat Temple (Temple Of Dwarkadheesh)
  6. Nurpur - Brij Raj Bihari Temple
  7. Amer Jaipur - Jagat Siromani Ji Temple
  8. Dakor - Ranchhodraiji Temple

1. Merta - Charbhuja Ji Temple

Merta is a small town in the Nagaur district, Rajasthan. Meera Bai was born as a daughter of Ratan Singh, grand-daughter of Merta's Rao Duda; and great-granddaughter of Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur.
Meera's mother died when the girl was 10 and the princess went to live with grandfather, Rao Duda, at Merta.
Charbhuja Temple in Merta is the Temple where Meera Bai worshipped Lord Krishna before her marriage to Prince Bhoj of Chittor.
The 400 year old Temple is also known as Meera Temple of Merta.

Charbhuja Ji Temple, Merta


2. Chittorgarh - Fort Of Chittorgarh - Kumbha Palace

In 1516 Crown Prince Bhoj, son of Maharana Sangram Singh-I married the princess Meera Bai of Merta. The 'Kanwar Pada Palace' inside 'Kumbha Palace' was the place where Meera Bai used to live in Chittorgarh Fort.
Bappa Rawal built this palace which was later modified by Maharana Kumbah. This palace also has importance because of the site where Rani Padmini and thousands of the forts women and children committed JAUHAR.

Kanwar Pada Palace, Chittorgarh Fort


3. Chittorgarh - Kumbha Shyam Temple (Meera Mandir)

Maharana Kumbha build a Lord Vishnu Temple (Kumbh Temple) in 1449.
When Meera came to Chittor, she requested a small Krishna Temple for her personal use. Her father-in-law (Maharana SANGRAM SINGH I) built a small Temple adjoining Kumbh Temple, which was named as Kumbh (Kumbha) Shyam Temple. There she continued her devotions to Lord Krishna, and used her wealth to help feed religious pilgrims and the needy.
There is a small Chhatri in the Temple built in memory of Meera's saintly guru, Rai Das (Swami Ravidas) of Varanasi. The saint's footprints are marked on the floor of this small shrine.

Kumbha Shyam Temple, Chittorgarh Fort


4. Vrindaban - Banke Bihari Temple (Meera Bai Temple)

The holy land of Vrindavan is situated 12 km north west of Mathura, UP. Vrindavan lies in the heart of the region called Brij. It is the place where Sri Radha & Krishna had performed their Leelas, eons ago.
Around 1532, Meera Bai left Chittorgarh and moved to Vrindavan. After spending some years in Vrindavan, she went to Dwaraka and spent the rest of her life there.
A place has been identified where Meera Bai stayed in Vrindavan. As of now we do not have much information of pictures of this place.
Vrindavan also has a Meera Bai Temple.

5. Dwarka - Jagat Temple (Temple Of Dwarkadheesh)

Dwarka is holy town in Gujarat around 800 km south west of Chittor.
Meera Bai lived the final years of her life in Dwarka and there wrote to Krishna her immortal poems of love. Meera have infused Jagatmandir in Dwarka with a power of love.

Dwarkadheesh Temple, Dwarka


6. Nurpur - Brij Raj Bihari Temple

Located around 66 Km from Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, Nurpur Fort was constructed by Maharaja Basu in the 16th century. One of the Krishna idol (build with black stone) prayed by Meera Bai was taken to Nurpur by Nurpur king Raja Basu (1580-1613). Raja Basu build a beautiful Temple for this Idol which is known as Brij Raj Bihari Temple.
The Krishna Temple is now ruined along with the fort but still has some carved relief work on stone. This antique idol of Lord Krishna is still preserved in Brij Raj Temple and worshipped by pilgrims. The lifelike idol of Lord Krishna playing his flute is matchless in its beauty.

Nurpur Fort


7. Amer Jaipur - Jagat Siromani Ji Temple

Raja Man Singh I build an exquisitely carved marble-and-sandstone Lord Krishna Temple in Amer (Near Jaipur) in memory of his son. The Temple is well known as Jagat Shiromani Temple of Amer.
The Krishna idol which is placed in Jagat Shiromani Temple was one of the idols worshipped by Meera Bai.

Jagat Siromani Temple, Amer Jaipur


Jagat Siromani Temple - More Pictures

8. Dakor - Ranchhodraiji Temple

Dakor is located around 94 Km from Ahmedabad, Gujrat. Dakor is famous for Ranchhodraji Temple (A Lord Krishna Temple).
According to historical books, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Meera visited Dakor.

Ranchhodraiji Temple, Dakor

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