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Meerabai was one of the greatest devotees of Lord Krishna. Some say that she was actually an incarnation of Radha herself. So great was her love for her Lord Krishna that she spent her whole life singing bhajans (prayer songs) in his name. She is said to have composed over a 1000 beautiful bhajans on Krishna. Meera was born in the Rathore clan of Rajputs in Rajasthan. When she was six years old, her mother gave her a small idol of Krishna, which she immediately identified it. She talked to it and sang to it, treating it like an actual living being. She was then married at age 16 to Bhoj Raj, prince of Chittor. Her extreme devotion to Krishna was not appreciated by her husband and in-laws, who were basically devotees of Devi Durga. But Meera kept on with her singing and dancing in the name of Krishna. Some relatives even tried to poison her, but the poisoned milk miraculously turned to amrit (nectar) and only gave Meera more strength and vigor! Once, her husband, the Rana, offered her a basket with a vicious snake inside, saying that it contained a garland for Krishna. When Meera opened the basket, the snake had actually become a beautiful garland of flowers, which she happily placed on her Krishna's shoulders!
Meera left the palace when her husband died a few years later and undertook a pilgrimage of Krishna temples all through India. When she reached Dwarka, she was so ecstatic seeing the idol there that sang and danced in joy, till she entered the sanctum sanctorum and completely merged in the idol.
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