Mira - X Searching

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We are back where we began at the gypsy camp. The campfire is dying, with only some embers glowing. A few gypsies are seen leaving for their tents; Mira is alone. Having left the palace to escape the cruel persecution of the Rana, and believing that her path lies in the search for Krishna, she has withstood much in her journey. Exhausted and alone, and with the darkness surrounding her, she begins to despair; would her love for Krishna, and her rejection of the world, be all for nothing?

Mira, distraught and looking around: Krishna! [She reaches out with her hands.] You are the life of my life, O Krishna, the heart of my heart. There is none in all the three worlds whom I call my own but you. You are the peace of my mind, the joy of my heart. You are my beauty and my wealth. You are my wisdom and my strength. My friend, my kin, my home. My present and my future are in your hands. Find me. Carry me across the stormy sea. [She sings softly, pleading], Mere to giridhara gopala dusara na koyi. Mata chodi, pita chode, chode saga soyi. Dasi Mira lal giridhar honi so hoyi. [She sobs into her hands.]

While she is singing, Jayadeva comes out of the darkness and watches her. He takes out his flute and plays the last line of her song he has just heard. She looks up and he stops playing. He comes to her.

Jayadeva, smiling: Lost?

Mira: Looking...

Jayadeva: Who?

Mira, hesitating: Someone.

Jayadeva, sussing her up: A lover? [She becomes uncomfortable but is drawn by his eyes.] Where?

Mira: Mathura. [He smiles strangely at her and then gets up to go.] How far is it from here?

Jayadeva: Not far. Not far at all. [Pause.] It is late. You can start in the morning. Get some sleep. It is safe here.

As he walks away, he plays on the flute soft and low, and the lights begin to dim. Mira lies down and overcome by her exhaustion, falls asleep. The light on her changes to blue as the rest of the stage is totally dimmed out. We continue to hear the flute song as it develops into something colourful and bright. Lights come on to reveal a dream scene of lush beauty. We hear, from the distance, the voices of young boys. Enter cowherds, singing a song on Krishna.

Cowherds: Bhaje Radhe Govinda
Gopala tera pyara nama hai
Nandalala tera pyara nama hai
Mora mukuta maate tilaka gale vaijayanti mala
Prabhu gale vaijayanti mala
Koi kahe vasudevaki nandana koi kahe nanda lala
Prabhu koi kahe nanda lala

Mira wakes up, is surprised by the new surroundings, and quickly hides herself behind a bush. The cowherd boys dance and sing, beating on their makeshift drums and playing on the flute. They are joined by a few gopis. They exit, dancing and singing. A gopi, with a pot, comes running in but finds that she cannot catch up. She looks around, and appears disappointed about something. She sits down, looking here and there, expecting to see someone. She hugs her pot, then, looks at it. She turns it around and we can see that it is partly broken on the side. She caresses this broken part and begins to sing to herself:

Gopi: Madhura manohara gokula madhava mohana murali shyama.
Ananda nadam un venu gaanam enidaya veenayai meetidum nadam
Anbe vaa endru azhaitidum geetham ananda gopala geetham
Inba vedanai eethenna sodhanai idhu enna sodhanai shyama
Madhura manohara gokula madhava mohana murali shyama
Kuzhal osaiyil mayanggi alai paayum en uzham
Kuzhal oothum un vadivam kaanavum enguthey
Pasiyaal vaadhidum gopiyar kangalai kandillaieyo shyama
Pullangkuzhal isei pothum kanna
Pothum pothum shyama

She sings this song and acts out how she has lost her heart to Krishna, after having met him one day in Mathura where he broke the pot of milk she was carrying.

When she sings the refrain for the last time, Mira sings the verse with her, moved by the plea of "enough, enough of this pain in my heart" which echoes her own. While singing this, Mira stands behind the gopi and then turns back to back with the gopi. They both move, with the gopi now facing upstage and Mira facing downstage. The gopi leaves as Mira sings the last line by herself, revealing the intensity of her desire to see Krishna

Mira: Madhura manohara gokula madhava mohana murali shyama.

The lights dim out, leaving the blue spot on Mira, as she slowly lies down. At the end of her song, she closes her eyes.