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January 15, 2002
REVIEW: Before the wind
THE book under review is a collection of Meera Bai’s geets along with their Urdu translation and glossary compiled by Sardar Jafri. Meera Bai (1498-1565?) is considered to be by far the greatest poetess of this subcontinent. Her geets and bhajans have been read and sung for over 300 years and yet retain their freshness. Meera’s evocative, emotion-laden geets still reverberate in the hearts of millions of people. A romantic poet, Meera shows a spiritual sanctity and purity in her love. In her verses the body and the flesh have mere symbolic importance and through these she is able to communicate her feelings to those who are unable to comprehend the inner beauty of Krishan.
I have steeped myself in the colours of my beloved/ with all the embellishments, with bells on my feet and leaving aside all shame and honour I dance/ all ugly thoughts have left me, living with the sadhus I became a true bhagat (mendicant)/ I sing the virtues of Hari and am saved from the daily vision of death/without him the whole world is without joy and everything is meaningless/ Meera feels intense passion in surrendering to Girdharlal (Krishan)
Sardar Jafri who has compiled the collection ranks prominent among the writers associated with the progressive writers movement. He was a poet and published a number of collections during his long literary career. He was also a critic. He compiled parallel Urdu and Hindi bilingual editions of classical Indian poets, Meera Bai, Kabir and Mir Taqi Mir, with a view to highlight the common heritage of both languages. Prem wani is part of the collection.
The most important influence on Meera’s poetry and belief is the Bhagti movement and it is necessary that we understand its basic concept. Man journeys along the road of reason and in the end reaches a destination where intellect becomes a stagnant part of the subconscious mind. Man then tires of this blandness and in desperation turns to the heart and wants to experience the joys of those elements which are the precious gifts of life.
Meera Bai was the only daughter of Ratan Singh, younger brother of Raja Prem Deo of the Rajput kingdom of Merhtha. Meera was born into the Rathore family in 1498. She was a ravishing beauty and had a heart filled with love. She was only five years old when a holy man (probably Reedas) gave her a statue of Girdharji (Krishna). The innocent Meera was so taken in by this statue that she gave herself to Girdharji completely. During this period the chaos in Rajputana, the wars and the conspiracies affected Meera’s gentle and poetic soul in such a way that she immersed herself in Girdharji’s being and became a follower of Ahinsa or non-violence. She never took part in the worship and her family’s bloody sacrifices to the goddess kali.
Meera came to her marital home with such beliefs as would have destroyed any woman’s marriage. She was ready to serve her husband but at the same time said that she was wedded to Girdharji. Meera’s husband took a second wife.
Meera became famous among the masses but in her home the conflicts reached their peak. She clashed with her in-laws. Her husband tried to get her bitten by snakes and poison her but Meera remained steadfast in her resolve. In this collection, in bhajans 102, 103 and 112-119 Meera herself documents these experiences.
Having been born in and married into a royal household, Meera spoke a sophisticated court language. Her education and upbringing also introduced her to Sanskrit which she studied in great depth. Meera’s poetry would thus be expected in Sanskritized Rajasthani, which it surprisingly is not. Her bhajans are in the everyday simple language understood by a majority of people of the subcontinent. Persian and Arabic found their way into the subcontinent in the reign of the Muslims, specially during the period of the Mughals. Therefore, we also find Persian and Arabic words in Meera’s verses.
Meera’s bhagti stories and her lilting bhajans became very popular with the people. So much so that her bhajan’s were included in the Granth sahib of Guru Nanak and the granth of Kabir Panth.
There is the cooing of the koel, the song of the nightingale and the lyricism of a melodious musical instrument in Meera’s poetry which ring deep into the heart of those who sing it. Her geets are filled with a romance and her words, her tone and her heart have all become a true embodiment of feminine emotions. Below are translations from the Urdu prose version of some of the verses in this collection. The translations have been rendered only for the purpose of this review.
Jogi do not go, look don’t go/ I am your slave, I touch your feet/ the path of worshipping love is different, show me the way to remain on this path/ If I make a pyre of sandalwood then light it with your own hands, and when it burns to ashes smear it on your body/ Meera’s prabhu Girdharnaagar, tie your rope to the rope of love.
I will not become anyone’s bride/ friend listen carefully, I am telling you what is in my heart/ I will live with the sadhus and find the happiness/ Let the body, heart, and riches all go away, even if blood begins to flow from my forehead/ I am committed to worship, I listen to everyone’s taunts/ Meera’s prabhu is immortal, I take the protection of the guru.
While publishing the bilingual collection in Pakistan, the publishers have made some modifications. The Nagri text was excluded. The prose translations and glossary were placed at the end of each poem rather than at the end of the book. This makes them easier to read.
The text has been placed on stylized pages which are quite charming. Each verse has its own page. Such a format is suited for publication of classics and could be included in any ‘coffee table’ collection as well. Prem Wani gives us a chance to read and understand a poet who has had a deep impact on poetic traditions of the subcontinent and one whose verses continue to give us pleasure.
Meera Bai: Prem Vani (Geet, translation and annotation)
Compiled by Sardar Jafri
Aaj ki Kitabein, 316 Madina City Mall, Abdullah Haroon Road, Karachi-74400 Tel: 021-5650623, 5213916
Email: aaj@digicom.net.pk
ISBN 969-8379-32-0 286pp. Rs200
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