Mira - III Vivaham

VIVAHAM

The year is 1516, a year after the death of Mira's grandfather Rao Duda. A horde of merrymakers bursts in upon us, carrying drums and other instruments. They are dressed in a riot of colours...

Merrymakers:
Let the rhythm of the drum [thaka dhimmi thaka jhum]
Carry the heart of my song [thaka dhimmi thaka dhim]
Let the rhythm of your feet
Carry the heart of my dance
Let the song of my heart
Fill the heart of your love
Let the love in your eyes
Fill my soul, O my love

The merrymakers sing and dance... enter Jayadeva with a few of his gypsies, dancing. The merrymakers recede into the background as he addresses the audience.

Jayadeva: The Rajput clan, famed for their honour and valour for so many centuries, and for their unending struggle for supremacy over each other, found a much more formidable foe in the world conquering Moghuls. Realizing, perhaps a little too late, that a gathering of forces was required, the royal house of Mewar stretched out a bejeweled hand to the house of Merta. A royal marriage would unite and strengthen the clan, somewhat... and the fair princess Mira, now grown into womanhood, and having acquired the skills of archery, fencing, strategy, horseriding, as well as the more feminine accomplishments of poetry, music and dance, was deemed fair barter in this political ploy. And into this circumstance of anxious instability was brought the fair and innocent prince, Bhojraj, who would receive Mira into his royal arms.

In the story of life, every character has a specific part to play, though sometimes somewhat short-lived. And in Mira's life, Bhojraj was one of them. And since it is indeed a very short part, I will play it for you tonight...

A few royal attendants bring in his wedding attire and dress him on stage, as the merrymakers gather again in a swirl. When dressed, he begins to move with the dancers... then a loud crash of drums, the dancers wait with bated breath... and Mira, the princess bride of sixteen, radiant as the autumn moon, is brought in on a palanquin, accompanied by the ladies of the palace. The SONG OF THE MERRYMAKERS is picked up again. The wedding ceremony takes place symbolically in the center as the song picks up... and then at the height of this celebration, a blue spot comes on Mira and everyone freezes as the light dims on them... she looks up into the light... excited, confused and somewhat sad.

Mira: Krishna, my love, today I go to another
Knowing it's you I love and no other
Smile or sleep, how should I be
With this man whose bride I am to be
Knowing it's you I love and no other
Knowing it's only you for me...
It's a vow I've made long before
To give my heart once and for all
Knowing it's you I love and no other
Knowing it's only you for me...

She turns to Bhojraj, knowing that she must tell him her feelings. Bhojraj watches her face as her emotions ripple across her fair face. He gazes into her eyes questioningly. The light changes and the merrymakers disperse. Bhojraj and Mira are now alone. They begin a slow dance.

Mira, hesitating: My lord... there is something you must know

Bhojraj: Yes... Mira...

Mira: Today I give you my hand, my lord
But my heart is already with another
It's a vow I've made long before
To give my heart once and for all
The lord of Mathura is my lord
The lord of love is my love
And loving, I have lost my heart
To him...

Bhojraj: Feel no sorrow, have no fear
On your radiant cheeks no tear
Should fall
All I know is the Lord is near
When you're beside me here
That is all

I see the light on your face, Mira,
It shines like the moon from afar
I see the light in your eyes, my dear
It comes from yonder star

Feel no sorrow, have no fear
On your radiant cheeks no tear
Should fall...

I will build a shrine for your Krishna, so that you can perform your devotions every day, without going out of the palace. Tell me how you want it built and I will see that it is done. Spend your day sitting at his feet and then, when that is done, let me spend some time at your feet.

Mira looks into Bhojraj's eyes and begins to find something there that she never thought was there. A glimmer of hope comes onto her face, and they begin a DUET. The light changes, and reduces to a soft spot on both of them. Mira dances, and Bhojraj leaves her momentarily. It appears that Mira is dreaming. When Bhojraj returns to her into the spot, he is wearing a peacock feather, and he is blowing on a flute. When she hears the flute, Mira turns around, and looks at him in disbelief. Then she rushes to him and falls at his feet, hugging his knees. It is as if her very heart's desire has come true. Bhojraj puts away his flute and raises Mira to him, and they continue the duet - this time with more vigour, with more joy. The light changes to blue and as the music reaches a crescendo, Bhojraj and Mira pirouette away from each other.

The light snaps back to a spot on Mira as she poses while the rest is dimmed out. She waits, and listens for Bhojraj's answering steps but there is none. She turns around; she is alone. She moves slowly centrestage, not knowing what to expect - and she finds Bhojraj sleeping, not Krishna. She looks up at the audience in silence - perplexed, and yet hopeful. The melody of her song comes. And now she sings her song again but very slowly, with a different feeling.

Mira: It's a vow I've made long before
To give my heart once and for all
Knowing it's you I love and no other
Knowing it's only you for me...

The music reaches a deeper level of intensity, and the song develops unexpectedly into the next line of thought and reveals Mira's deepest feelings...

ayrî main to prema dîvânî, merâ dard na jâne koya
sûlî ûpara seja hamârî, kisa bidha sonâ hoya
gagana mandala pai seja piyâ kî, kisa bidha milana hoya
mîrâ kî prabhu pîra miTaigî jaba baida sâmvaliyâ hoya
O Lord, Mira's torment will cease when the Dark Lover comes!
"Oh oh! I'm love-crazy. No one knows my pain.
My bed is over the gallows. How could I sleep?
My lover's bed is in heaven's mandala. How could I get to him?
O Lord, Mira's torment will be wiped out when the doctor is the Dark Lover."

The lights dim as she puts her head on the sleeping Bhojraj.