Descent

Divine descent and the songs of Meera

Meera kahe prabhu giridharanagara

I sat enraptured at Priya Kanungo’s repetition of Meera’s signature lines of devotion. To call out to the lord is the utmost sweetness, to call him by his various names is for Meera the whole point of devotion. Is Meera fact or fiction? Are these songs composed by herself and not others? - asked the artiste Priya.

I watched the artiste Priya Kanungo, lost for words. I watched her watching Meera in her mind’s eye. She smiled genially at the accompanists from time to time. She reached some high notes, only to dive down into the various playful ones in a mandra saptak. Her effortless enjoyment transported the audience in the hall. Meera was real. It didn’t matter if historians could provide evidence of Meera’s existence or not. Meera sang out in the vocal cords of the artiste and maestro Priya Kanungo. Meera was rebellious at times, angry at society, patiently waiting as Radha at times, enjoying monsoon love at other times, dancing in the end. I didn’t see Meera in the hall though. I saw Krishna watching the performance in some quiet enjoyment. I have struggled to write sound. Today, more than ever, but gladly so. The sound that entered my senses was sheer delight - one that archiving or documentation would destroy. I won’t, thus, try to describe her song and craft. It would be futile. Treat this post as simply a tribute to the climactic rendition of pag ghungroo bandh meera nachee thee in the end.

I can’t find Meera song recordings on YouTube that come anywhere close to what I heard today. Not even MS, in my opinion. So I will leave here a link to Priya’s other devotional singing.

Meera’s rebellion and forthrightness are much discussed. Meera’s abandon less so. The rains have come down in Bangalore. Perhaps, Krishna and Radha are dancing somewhere along a broken block of concrete in this city. Like the great musicians who brought clouds and rain, I think this evening’s downpour has a bit to do with the maestro Priya Kanungo.

kahe aadhi raat sarathi bulao/ Mathura nagarpati kahe tum gokul jao

Perhaps, a charioteer will be called for in the dead of this night laden with biraha.