Chittorgarh the birth place of Meera Bhai, the saint-poet and a sixteenth century Rajput princess. Princess Meera Bhai who had given up the lavish majestic life to spend her life dedicated to Lord Krishna. During the rule of Maharana Kumbha the Rajput king, the temple was constructed. It was devoted to Mira Bai, one of the well-known accomplices in the Bhakti Cult movement. The dome of the temple is overstated with a arrangement of five human bodies with a single head symbolizing the four castes of the Hindu religion or the Varnas and the fifth caste of the Harijan. The single head who can be equally realized by all symbolizes the faith in God. The temple has four pavilions in North Indian style designed in the open arcade enclosing the sanctum. Interior of the Sanctum is ornamented with attractive eye catching paintings of Meera Bhajans and Lord Krishna.
About Meera Bai’s Temple :
The two temples of Shyam and Meera Bai are located in the same premises. Meera s temple is the place where saint poetess Meera Bai worshipped Lord Krishna. She was the widow of Rana Sanga. Rana Kumbha wanted Meera Bai to come back to Chittorgarh and continue with her worship of Lord Krishna and to pursue her he built this temple of Meera and also the Vrij temple dedicated to Varah. A cenotaph of Saint Meera Bai s guru Sri Rai Das is also present close to the Meera s temple. A statue in this temple signifies the truth that people from all castes can follow the path to reach the God. It has five human bodies merged together with a single head uniting all the five varnas or castes of people on their path towards God.
History of Meera Temple :
Meera Temple came into being at the time of Rana Kumbha’s rule who was a firm supporter of Hinduism. He constructed many hindu temples, out of which Meera Bai is eminent of all. She was a Raput princess and madly in love with Lord Krishna. She committed her whole life to Lord Krishna. Even, it is said that Krishna saved her life by drinking the poison as a consequent his entire body turned blue.
Description of Meera Temple :
There is a carved statue of five human bodies and one head outside the Meera Bait temple. It connotes the power of tolerance and suggests people of all the castes and creeds are same. The Mira Bai temple is placed on the same grounds of the Kumbha Shyam and is built in an Indo Aryan style. The temple shares its immediacy with Fateh Prakash Palace. Unlike other temples, this is the only one temple which is saved from the mallet of the barbarians.
Importance of visit to Meera temple :
The visit to the Meera temple is always an enriching experience. The visit to the temple will not only be a visit to the pilgrimage spot. It will also make you aware of Meera Bai. She was an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. You will also come to know about the religious belief that says Krishna drank the poison himself to save Meera Bai. That is the reason why his body turned blue. You will also come to know that Meera Bai dedicated his entire life to Lord Krishna. This religious belief attached to the temple attracts a large number of devotees.
The Meera temple Chittorgarh was built during Rana Kumbha’s reign. He was the one who patronized the temple. It is a perfect temple located in a place that has a deep rooted association with the rich history of Rajasthan. Though most of the tourists visiting the place are attracted by its rich history but presence of this famous temple adds a new dimension to Chittorgarh tour packages.
The architecture of the temple is also something to look for. The splendid architecture of the temple is also one of the reasons for it being a famous temple in Chittorgarh. On visiting the temple, you will be able to see the carved statue of the five human bodies and one head. This statue is a manifestation of the fact that there is no division on the basis of caste and creed. The temple located in the premises of Kumbha Shyam will also make you aware of Indo Aryan style architecture. The temple is also very close to the Fateh Prakash Palace. While visiting either of them, you can easily pay a visit to the other one.