Today marks the celebration of Meera bai Jayanti, birth anniversary of 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna. There is no exact evidence about her birth date, so on the day of Sharad Purnima, Meera bai Jayanti is celebrated. She has composed some immortal lyrical poems and hymns dedicated to Lord Krishna. So she is considered to e an epitome of devotion. We tell you a little more about the history and significance of marking Meera bai Jayanti. Sharad Purnima 2019 Date: Lakshmi Puja Tithi, Vidhi, Moonrise Timing on Kojagiri Poornima, Significance of Amrit Kheer on Harvest Festival Day.

History and Significance

Meera was born to the Rajput king Ratansingh of Kurki, Udaipur in the year 1499. From her childhood she learnt a lot about religion, politics, and music. As she lost her mother early, she was brought up by her grandparents who were devotees of Lord Vishnu. During her growing up years, she started worshiping Lord Krishna. Quotes by Tulsidas in Hindi: Remembering the Great Hindu Saint & Poet on His 521st Jayanti.

Not everyone was pleased with her level of devotion to Lord Krishna. So there were several attempts by others to kill her. One of the most significant in the legends states, a poisonous snake was kept in the flower-basket from which she was picking up flowers for Lord Krishna. But instead of harming her, the snake turned into an idol of Krishna. She later went on to Vrindavan to devote her life to God. She started writing prayers and devotional songs dedicated to Lord Krishna.

There are no specific temples of Meera Bai but everyone remembers her for the extreme devotion towards Krishna. On the day of Meera Bai Jayanti, there are a few programmes held in Rajasthan. A small puja is also performed on this day to pay respects to the mystic poet. In some temples of Lord Krishna  special kirtans featuring the beautiful lyrical bhajans of Meerabai are organised.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2019 07:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).