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The story of Meera Bai is not based on historical documents but comes from oral storytelling.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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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