‘One cannot fool around with historical facts’

On why Meerabai was one of a kind

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Why do people continue to be moved by the story of Meera who lived in the sixteenth century?

Meera was a Rajput princess born into a heroic warrior milieu. Her life was focused on Krishna bhakti, and she was a master of shringaar ras. She moved beyond boundaries and conventions. She wrote delightful poetry, and sang beautifully. Her bhajans continue to be sung by folk and classical singers. She was in one-to-one communication with Krishna. Her life choices were respected and encouraged by her grandfather Rao Duda of Merta, her father-in-law Rana Sanga of Mewar, and her husband Crown Prince Bhoj Raj. 2 Tell us about the research that went into this book.

I am 78 years old now, and writing this book has been one of the greatest joys in my life. I was born and raised in Bikaner, and I take great pride in my ancestry. I come from the forts and palaces of Rajasthan. My fascination with Meerabai is connected to our shared bloodline, and my lifelong immersion in Rajput history, traditions and customs. My research included reading books, going through archival records, and having conversations with Meera’s descendants. I also travelled to various places connected with Meera, such as Merta, Chittorgarh, Vrindavan and Dwarka.

3 What was your experience of uncovering this history like?

I have been a voracious reader since childhood. I have read the history of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Europe, and the Ottoman empire. While working with Rajput history, it was important to cross check. One cannot fool around with historical facts. Since I am from an aristocratic family, I could just pick up the telephone and request access to source material. I was welcomed with open arms. People have seen my work on the books Nur Jahan (1994), Really, Your Highness! (2000) and Royal Jaipur (2008), all of which delve into history. That adds to my credibility. 4 How would you like Meera’s legacy to be remembered?

Meera was steeped in bhakti yoga. She had past life recall. She honoured every faith. She found Vrindavan utterly distasteful because of the pretentious pandits there. Dwarka is where she merged with Krishna. It was unsafe for women to travel such long distances, but she was fearless. She knew that her Krishna would look after her, come what may. He had made a promise to her, and he would fulfil it.