Mira - IX Miracle

MIRACLE

In this scene, the test of Mira's faith is presented totally in dance and mime. The music is dramatic and sinister. Two guards bring in a dirty looking snake man with a basket. The Rana and Udabhai sweep in, with two ladies-in-waiting in tow. The snake man bows obsequiously to the Rana, and quickly fishes out a wriggling black snake from his basket. The women recoil. Udabhai signals to one of her ladies to bring forward a colourful flower basket. This is placed on the ground in the center. The girl moves away quickly. The snakeman puts the black snake in the basket and quickly covers it tight, carries it with both hands, and presents it to the Rana. One of the ladies nervously takes it from him. But the Rana is frowning. He signals to the guards. They bring the snake man's basket to the center; its owner is happy. The Rana mimes to the snake man, pointing to the basket; "will it work?" The snake man grins and gestures "definitely". "Show me another one" the Rana gestures. The snake man concedes, opens his basket and puts his hand in. The Rana signals to his guards. They pounce on the snake man, one holding him down, and the other preventing him from removing his hand from the basket. There is a look of frantic panic, and then, he screams in pain and thrashes about. He is released but he falls to the ground. A few more spasms contort his body and he is limp. The Rana nods, and then signals his guards to remove the corpse. The corpse is dragged out and the basket removed. The Rana holds the flower basket for a moment and gives it back to the lady.

An old and fat lady, a potion maker, enters with two palace ladies. She is colourfully dressed, carrying a small velvet pouch. She sees the Rana and bows. She takes out a long-necked bottle and smiles wickedly at the Rana. The Rana takes it, pretends to examine it. He gives a signal - a maid enters with a goblet on a tray. Udabhai goes to the fat lady and makes much ado about her person. With alacrity, the Rana pours something from the bottle into the goblet, unseen by the potion maker. He then pulls out a small pouch of money from his waist band and puts it on the tray next to the goblet. The maid goes to the fat lady. Udabhai smiles, the fat lady's eyes widen, seeing the moneybag on the tray. She grabs it off the tray, peeps into it, gasps, there's a big grin on her face, and then she looks at the Rana sheepishly. The Rana gestures smilingly to the goblet. The potion-maker happily picks it up and sips it, then downs it. The effect is immediate; there is a look of horror on her face, her hands go to her throat, her face turns red and she opens her mouth to gasp for breath - she dies. The Rana holds up the bottle of poison and smiles. Udabhai steps over the corpse and stands next to the Rana. The guards come in and remove the corpse of the fat lady.

Udabhai looks into the wings and claps her hands. The guards bring in a chaise-lounge and place it in the center. It is a beautiful piece of work, decorated with ivory and gemstones. The Rana admires it. Udabhai removes the mattress to reveal up-pointing sharp nails. The Rana smiles. They all exit as the light changes.

The music becomes lighter as Mira enters. The melody is a refrain from one of her songs. Two ladies dance in, bringing in a life-size statue of Krishna. Mira dances in front of her idol. Her maids do a short sequence and they leave. Enter from the opposite two other ladies with the flower basket. They are followed by Rana and Udabhai who remain upstage in the half darkness, watching. The ladies dance towards Mira. They mime that it is a garland for her Krishna from the Rana. Mira is pleased. The tone and rhythm of the music change. The basket is placed at Krishna's feet - and the ladies watch nervously as Mira picks it up and dances with it in front of Krishna. Then she kneels and begins to open the basket. The two ladies move back two steps in fear. The Rana and Udabhai move two steps forward eagerly to witness the outcome. Mira opens the basket, and brings out a beautiful garland of roses and tulsi leaves. The others are shocked. We hear Mira's voice singing a refrain from the song, praising Krishna, as she lovingly puts the garland on Krishna. She dances.

The Rana and Udabhai step forward into the light. He takes out the bottle of poison. Udabhai looks into the wings; a maid enters carrying a tray with a small pot and other articles for a puja, and hands it to Udabhai. Udabhai dances with it in front of the Rana, and then holds the tray up; he empties the contents of the bottle into this small pot. Udabhai turns to look at Mira, who is sitting gazing at Krishna. The Rana watches from upstage. As Udabhai comes towards Mira, her expression changes gradually with each step; from a stern and harsh stare to a softened smile. She touches Mira who turns around. Udabhai dances happily holding the tray, miming that she has brought prasad for Krishna. Mira is moved, takes the tray and begins to dance for Krishna making the offering to him. Udabhai partners her in a short duet that suggests a puja. They end up kneeling in front of Krishna. Mira closes her eyes. Seeing this, Udabhai gets up quietly and moves away from Mira, back to the side of the Rana. Mira opens her eyes, gazes at Krishna and smiles. She picks up the pot of prasad, looks at it for a moment and smiles lovingly again at Krishna. She drinks from it. The Rana and Udabhai come forward two steps and wait with bated breath for the poison to take effect. Mira closes her eyes for having received the prasad. The music changes and an intense blue light comes on to Krishna. Mira is filled with wonderment. Then she lets out a gasp - she realizes that the prasad was poisoned. She holds her throat, looks with horror at Krishna, tears flowing from her eyes to know that Krishna has taken the poison for her. She hugs Krishna and weeps. The blue vanishes and she is delighted. The poison did not affect her nor did it have any lasting effect on her darling Krishna. She dances around Krishna and we hear the refrain of her song.

The Rana and Udabhai are shocked but their evil anger overpowers them. They rush forward to confront Mira and to see for themselves the incredible "trick" by Krishna. Mira must be a witch. Mira turns round in fear. The Rana and Udabhai grab Mira. Her eyes plead silently for mercy but they are intent on getting rid of her. The three of them dance; Mira tries to free herself from the clutches of her in-laws. By their looks she knows that they intend to harm her. She begs for mercy. During this sequence, two guards bring in the chaise lounge. The guards come forward. The Rana and Udabhai hurl her into their arms, and then, they stand on either side of Krishna. The guards drag Mira back wards towards the lethal chaise lounge. She cries out to Krishna. They throw her onto the chair. Mira sings her refrain. She gets up unhurt. The others are stupefied. She runs to Krishna as the Rana and Udabhai run towards the chair. Mira looks up at Krishna crying at his feet. The Rana removes the cover of the chair - rose petals fly into the air. Music changes, becomes more dramatic. There is a black out. Two spots come on - we see the Rana "caught" in one and Udabhai in the other. They move as if they are being watched. A third spot comes on slowly and we see Krishna's statue but now in a different place. They look at it, uncomprehending. Music continues. Black out. Two spots come on again and we see the Rana and Udabhai, once again, caught. Krishna is revealed once again, in another part of the stage. And the two cower in fear in their "prisons". The music reaches a crescendo and there is a black out in the sharp silence. Then soft music, and Mira's sweet voice fills the air. Centerspot fades up to reveal Mira at Krishna's feet.

Mira: Paga gungaru bandha mira nachire
Nachire mira nachire mira nachire
Mein to mere narayana ki
Apaki ho gayi dasi re... paga gungaru bandha mira nachire
Vishaka pyala rana ji ne bheja
Pivata mira hasi re... paga gungaru bandha mira nachire
Mira ke prabhu giridhara nagara
Sahaja mile avinashi re... paga gungaru bandha mira nachire

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