She was a princess. She lost her mother in her childhood. She married a prince, but she lost him also when she was young. Her husband's family objected to her worshipping Krishna. Even the king was against it. They attempted to murder her. But whatever happened, the same words lived in her heart and on her lips: 'Giridhar is the Lord and Mira in His servant.'
This is all that we know for certain about her.
Sri Krishna's Idol In Child's Hands
There are no two opinions about the fact that Mira belonged to Medatha in Rajasthan. She calls herself in one of her songs a 'Medathani' (a woman who belongs to Medatha). She has also stated that she is a Doodajini (one of Doodaji's family) of the Rathod royal dynasty. There were several petty feudal states in Rajasthan. Medatha was one of them. Rao Doodaji was its Rana. Princes in Rajasthan were usually called Ranas. Rana Rao Doodaji had four children. The eldest was Beerama Dev and the youngest, Ratan Simha.Ratan Simha was "a brave warrior. For a long time he did not have children. At last, by the grace of God, a daughter was born to him. She was named Mira. She was probably born in 1498. When she was only a child she lost her mother. At that time there were several kingdoms in India, some large and some small. Besides, it was the age of the Moghals. Wars were frequent. Since Ratan Simha, the father of Mira, had to spend most of his time in wars,the child had to grow up in the palace of its grandfather. Doodaji.One day a procession was passing in front of the palace. Mira was yet a small girl. People in the procession bowed to the Rana and proceeded.
But Bhojaraja passed away in 1521.
It was a wedding procession. The bride- groom was very attractively dressed.
Mira saw him. He might have looked like a big doll to those innocent eyes.
"What is that?" She asked her grand father.
"He is a bridegroom," replied he. But the little girl could not quite understand the meaning of the word bridegroom.
"I too want one like that to play with. Please get me one" the girl said.
What could any one say to such a request of the child? It is but natural of children to ask for every new thing they see. Without a second word the grandfather brought out a lovely idol of Sri Krishna and placing it in her hands, said, "Look, my dear, here is your bridegroom. Take good care of him."
Mira got what she had asked for; what else did she care for? She played with that idol and behaved as if Krishna was her husband.
The King's Daughter-in-Law
After Doodaji's death, his first son, Beerama Dev, became the Rana. He thought of celebrating Mira's marriage. It was decided that she was to marry Bhojaraja, the crown prince of Chittore. He was the son of Rana Sanga. The marriage was celebrated with great pomp and grandeur in1516.It seems Mira had placed the idol of Sri Krishna by her side even on the bridal seat. The royal family, which had the custom of placing asword representing the bridegroom,by the bride's side might well have allowed this.
Mira had been worshipping Krishna right from her childhood. Nobody in her parent's home had come in the way. On the other hand, they had encouraged it.
But as soon as she came to live with her husband, her devotion to Sri Krishna began to cause displeasure among the members of her husband's family.
The family, which Mira entered, was renowned for bravery and heroism. Though the Rana had to face all alone the adversities of life, he bore them with courage but never accepted the Moghul rule in Rajasthan. Constantly fighting against the Moghals, he had held high the banner of Rajasthan's tenacity,courage and heroism. Such a man was her father- in-law. And his eldest son Bhojaraja was her husband. This brave spirit of Rajasthan was the pride of India.Bhojaraja, too, was a hero. His family had been from times immemorial followers of the Shakta cult; that is, they worshipped the Goddess of Power in the forms of Durga, Kali, Chamundi and Parvathi. They did not so much like the worship of Vishnu. Mira's mother-in-law, in particular, did not like it at all.
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